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ILLINOIS  LIBRARY 
„  URBANA  CHAMPAIGN 
*    ARCHITECTURE 


VAULT 

vault 


UNIVERSITY  Of  ILLINOIS 


THE 


FARMER'S  AND  MECHANIC'S 


PRACTICAL    ARCHITECT; 


GUIDE  IN   RURAL  ECONOMY. 


BY  J.  H.    HAMMOND,    ARCHITECT 


BOSTON: 
JOHN    P.    JEWETT    AND    COMPANY 

CLEVELAND,    OHIO  : 
HENRY    T.     B.     JEWETT. 
1  858 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress  in  the  year  1858,  by 

JOHN  P.  JEWETT  AND  COMPANY, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  District  of  Massachusetts. 


LITHOTTPED    BY    COWLES    AND    COMPANY, 

At  the  Office  of  the  American  Stereotype  Company, 
FHCENIX    BUILDING,  BOSTON. 

Allen  &  Farnum,  Printers,  Cambridge. 


RILW 


CONTENTS. 


Essay  I.  —  On  the  Value  of  good  Architectural  Plans,  &c 7 

Design  No.  1. — A  Village  School  House, 11 

Essay  II.  —  On  the  Outside  Color  of  Houses, 17 

Design  No.  2. —  A  small  Village  Residence, 21 

Essay  IH.  —  On  the  Expediency  of  Owning  a  House, 26 

Design  No.  3.  —  Another  small  Residence, 29 

Essay  IV.  —  Hints  on  Mechanics, 32 

Design  No.  4. —  A  Plain  Side-hill  Cottage, 37 

Essay  V.  —  Style  of  the  House, 40 

Design  No.  5.  —  Neat  Dwelling  for  Two  Families, 45 

Essay  VI. — Utility  and  Convenience, 50 

Design  No.  6. — A  House  for  a  Narrow  Building  Lot, 55 

Essay  VII,  —  Choice  of  a  Situation, 60 

Design  No.  7.  —  A  House  with  one  Wing, 65 

Essay  VITI.  —  On  Light  and  Prospect, 70 

Design  No.  8.  —  A  Sharp-roofed  Cottage, 75 

Essay  IX.  —  Building  Materials, 78 

Design  No.  9. — A  Farm  House, .        ,        .        .  81 

Essay  X.  —  Classification  of  Houses, 86 

Design  No.  10.  —  An  Irregular  House, 91 

Essay  XL  —  On  Embellishments, 94 

Design  No.  11.  —  A  Square  House  in  Italian  style, 99 

Essay  XII.  —  Household  Furniture, 104 

Design  No.  12.  —  A  House  for  Two  Families, 109 

Essay  XIII.  —  Interior  Conveniences, 112 

Design  No.  13.  —  Suburban  Residence  for  a  Largo  Family,          .        .         .  117 

Essay  XIV.  —  On  the  Construction  of  Barns, 126 

Design  No.  14. —  A  Small  Cottage  and  Stable, 131 

Essay  XV.  —  On  Drainage, • 138 

Design  No.  15.  —  A  Larger  Stable  for  common  use, 143 

Essay  XVI.  —  Outbuildings  and  their  Arrangement, 149 

Design  No.  16.  —  A  Piggery,  and  Corn  Barn, ■  153 

3 


4  CONTENTS. 

Essay  XVTL  —  On  the  Management  of  Poultry, 157 

Design  No.  17.  —  A  Poultry  House, 163 

Essay  XVIII.  —  On  Ventilation, 167 

Design  No.  18.  —  A  Model  Barn, 171 

Essay  XIX.  —  On  the  Construction  of  Highways, 1 76 

Design  No.  19.  —  A  Side-hill  Barn, 182 

Essay  XX.  —  Trees  hy  the  Koadside,  &c 187 

Design  No.  20.  —  A  Barn  for  a  Level  Situation, 192 

Essay  XXL  —  On  Fences  and  Hedges, 198 

Design  No.  21. — Another  Side-hill  Barn, 203 

Essay  XXII.  —  The  Garden, ,  209 

Design  No.  22.  —  Ground  Plan  for  Frontispiece, 213 

Design  No.  23. — Brackets, 217 

Design  No.  24. — Mouldings, 218 

Appendix, 221 


PRACTICAL    ARCHITECT. 


I. 

PREFACE. 

The  selection  of  an  appropriate  design  for  a  Dwelling  House,  com- 
bining those  forms  and  arrangements  which  are  both  tasteful  and  con- 
venient, requires  the  exercise  of  a  good  judgment,  and  the  advice  of  a 
professional  architect.  A  large  proportion  of  the  farmers,  mechanics, 
and  other  working-men  of  New  England  have  but  an  imperfect  idea 
of  the  value  of  a  good  set  of  plans,  designed  by  a  careful  and  skilful 
artist.  These  would  furnish  them  with  the  advantage  of  all  the 
experience  which  the  artist  has  acquired  in  the  course  of  his  studies 
and  practice,  and  for  which  they  pay  but  a  few  dollars.  When  they 
have  an  opportunity  to  compare  those  dwellings  which  were  con- 
structed according  to  the  rules  of  taste  and  architectural  proportions, 
with  others  which  were  built  to  suit  the  rude  conceptions  of  the 
proprietor  or  of  some  uninformed  mechanic,  they  may  understand 
the  full  value  of  science.  It  is  the  ignorant  and  the  least  qualified 
to  make  a  good  design  who  refuse  to  avail  themselves  of  the  services 
of  a  professional  architect.  If  one  is  preparing  to  build  a  house,  he 
would  do  better  to  pay  five  per  cent  on  the  cost  of  it  than  to  omit 
to  provide  himself  with  a  good  plan,  accompanied  with  good  pro- 
fessional advice. 

The  object  of  the  present  publication  is  to  offer  some  practical 
designs  and  drawings  executed  in  a  plain  and  simple  manner,  with 
useful  hints  which  may  be  understood  by  those  who  have  no  par- 
ticular acquaintance  with  building.  It  is  designed  to  encourage  a 
taste  for  that  kind  of  beauty  which  consists  in  the  expression  of 
neatness,  simplicity,  and  the  economical  adaptation  of  means  to 
useful  ends ;  and  also  to  furnish  a  series  of  designs  for  different 
classes  of  buildings,  suitable  to  the  wants  of  our  New  England 
population. 

The  proprietor  knows  his  own  particular  wants  better  than  any 
architect,  but  the  latter  only  can  furnish  him  with  the  plan  of  a 
house   which   will   supply   all   these   wants.      The    proprietor   must 


8  PREFACE. 

explain  his  ends,  and  the  architect  the  means  of  obtaining  them. 
But  it  may  sometimes  happen  that  the  artist  can  explain  to  the 
proprietor  the  wants  of  his  family,  better  than  he  can  understand 
them  without  his  explanation.  A  family  which  has  never  seen  the 
modern  improvements  in  the  economical  construction  and  arrange- 
ment of  the  interior  of  dwelling-houses  may  not  know  half  the  real 
wants  connected  with  its  household  affairs.  The  head  of  such  a 
family  would  be  surprised  to  hear  the  architect  name  to  him  several 
wants  which  he  had  never  thought  of,  no  less  than  on  being  told 
the  very  obvious  means  of  supplying  those  wants.  It  is  a  fact 
that  many  intelligent  people  do  not  know  half  the  conveniences 
which  a  dwelling-house  requires.  They  would  say  it  needs  a 
kitchen  and  its  appurtenances,  a  living,  or  sitting  room,  a  parlor, 
and  bedrooms,  with  a  certain  number  of  closets.  They  would  be 
surprised  to  learn  from  the  architect  many  other  conveniences 
which  are  almost  indispensable.  Economy,  therefore,  no  less  than 
the  demands  of  good  taste,  requires  the  aid  of  professional  advice. 
The  architect  can  inform  one  how  he  may  save  expense  in  carrying 
out  a  design,  while  he  furnishes  him  with  a  plan  which  will  be 
pleasing  and  satisfactory  to  the  eye. 

The  proprietor  may  be  a  man  of  more  highly  cultivated  taste 
than  the  architect;  but  he  does  not  require  the  professional  aid 
of  the  latter  any  the  less  on  this  account.  A  person  in  ill  health 
often  thinks  he  clearly  understands  his  own  symptoms,  which,  as 
they  are  not  very  distressing,  he  judges  he  can  cure  by  some  simple 
remedy,  suggested  by  his  own  former  experience.  Afterwards,  when 
the  aggravation  of  his  disease  induces  him  to  call  his  physician,  the 
latter  shows  him  that  he  did  not  understand  his  own  case,  and  by 
a  very  simple  remedy  restores  him  to  health.  There  is  a  two-fold 
advantage  in  consulting  "  experts,"  as  they  are  called  in  the  lan- 
guage of  the  law,  whenever  we  undertake  any  business  which  is 
foreign  to  our  profession  or  pursuits.  It  is  well  for  a  practical 
farmer,  under  certain  circumstances  to  consult  a  chemist:  but  if 
the  chemist  were  about  to  cultivate  land,  before  he  was  accustomed 
to  it,  he  would  find  it  equally  necessary  to  consult  a  practical 
farmer.  If  the  farmer  despises  the  science  of  the  chemist,  he  will 
neither  learn  nor  adopt  the  modern  improvements  in  agriculture. 
If  the  chemist,  on  commencing  the  cultivation  of  the  soil,  should 


PREFACE.  9 

despise  the  practical  wisdom  of  the  farmer,  he  would  make  many 
expensive  and  ridiculous  blunders  in  the  application  of  his  science 
to  the  details  of  practice. 

When  one  seeks  the  advice  of  an  experienced  architect,  and 
obtains  from  him  a  good  plan,  the  benefit  accruing  from  his  course 
is  not  confined  to  the  dwelling-house.  The  proprietor  has,  in  the 
meantime,  acquired  many  new  and  important  ideas,  both  theoretical 
and  practical,  on  the  subject  of  building.  This  knowledge  renders 
him  a  more  intelligent  citizen,  and  enables  him  to  give  better  advice 
and  instruction  to  others.  Not  that  his  knowledge  is  to  supersede 
the  advice  of  an  architect,  hereafter,  for  the  benefit  of  his  neighbors ; 
but  having  more  wisdom  on  the  subject  of  building  he  knows  how 
to  advise  others  to  imitate  his  own  example  and  to  consult  pro- 
fessional advice,  whenever  he  is  preparing  to  build  a  house.  Such 
is  the  two-fold  advantage  of  employing  an  architect.  The  pro- 
prietor obtains  a  more  convenient,  a  more  economical,  and  a  more 
tasteful  dwelling,  and  learns  at  the  same  time  many  useful  matters 
of  taste  and  science.  The  same  remarks  will  apply  to  every  other 
kind  of  employment. 


DESIGN,  No.  I. 


PLAN. 


O  o  o  o  o"o       o  o 

CO  O    O  O    O          'JO 

□  n  □  □ 

OO  OO  CO      oo 

CZI  LZJ  LZ3    CU 

CO  OO  OO      OO 

CD  □  □  nzi 

n  a  a  □  o  a     □   □ 


til 


o 


O  o 


o  o 

□ 

o  o 

D    D 


A,  School  Room.     B,  Teacher's  Platform  and  Desk.     C,  C,  Recitation  Room  and  Clothes  Room* 
D,  Front  Entry.    The  dotted  lines  represent  the  position  of  the  stove  and  funnel. 


DESIGN  NO.  I. 


A    VILLAGE    SCHOOL    HOUSE. 


The  design  given  in  this  place  has  been  highly  approved  by 
many  excellent  teachers,  and  has  been  adopted  in  many  of  our 
villages.  It  is  30  by  38  feet  on  the  ground  plan,  and  will  accom- 
modate fifty  pupils. 

It  has  one  ante-room  for  clothes,  and  one  for  a  recitation  room, 
with  a  large  entry  in  the  centre.  The  school-room  is  25  by  30 
feet,  with  four  double  windows,  containing  twelve  lights  in  each 
half. 

Blackboards,  which  are  an  essential  article  of  furniture  in  a 
school-room,  should  be  made  of  pine  wood,  which  is  not  so  liable 
to  be  damaged  as  other  kinds  of  wood,  and  may  be  more  easily 
kept  in  repair.  The  boards  of  which  they  are  made  should  be  lain 
dried,  the  joints  matched  and  glued,  fastened  on  the  back  side  with 
bars  screwed  down  in  the  centre;  with  slots  for  the  screw  heads 
at  each  edge,  to  allow  the  shrinking  and  swelling.  A  strip  one 
and  a  half  inch  wide,  with  a  hollow  worked  on  the  upper  side  to 
admit  the  chalk,  should  be  fastened  on  the  lower  edge.  When 
made  as  described,  a  preparation  of  strong  glue  sizing,  composed 
of  half  a  pound  of  glue  to  two  quarts  of  hot  water,  well  dissolved, 
with  the  addition  of  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  lamp-black,  should 
be  applied  with  a  common  paint  brush.  Two  coats  of  this  mate- 
rial will  make  a  firm  and  durable  surface. 

A  woodshed  open  to  the  south,  for  storing  and  drying  wood,  is 
one  of  the  necessary  appendages  to  a  school  house.  Wood  which 
is  well  dried  and  under  cover  is  worth  twenty  per  cent  more  than 
the  same  when  exposed  to  the  weather. 

A  good  well  of  water  should  also  be  provided,  with  a  white  oak 
pump  placed  in  it,  well  secured  with  a  spile-hole,  below  the  deck, 
to  let  off  the  water  in  freezing  weather.  A  stout  sink  with  a  wash- 
ing apparatus  is  a  necessary  article  of  furniture.  A  pail  made  of 
white  maple,  and  thoroughly  scalded  occasionally  in  skimmed  milk 


14  A  VILLAGE  SCHOOL  HOUSE. 

is  the  best  kind  of  a  water  pail:  but  a  stone  jar  is  preferable  to 
any  other  vessel. 

Many  of  our  school-houses  are  provided  with  very  uncomfortable 
seats;  and  it  is  worthy  of  remark  that  those  which  are  the  most 
comfortable  are  likewise  the  most  conducive  to  health.  A  con- 
strained position  is  often  injurious  to  the  spine.  Easy  seats  are 
promotive  of  stillness  and  quiet,  and  favorable  to  studious  habits : 
for  every  thing  that  renders  the  pupil  uncomfortable  withdraws 
his  attention  from  his  studies  to  his  own  feelings.  A  school  com- 
mittee deserve  severe  censure  who,  for  the  sake  of  a  niggardly 
economy,  provide  seats  so  uncomfortable  as  to  render  the  pupils 
constantly  restless,  and  to  subject  them  to  punishment,  on  account 
of  their  disquiet  movements  occasioned  by  badly  constructed  seats. 

School-rooms  ought,  likewise,  to  be  constructed  with  reference 
to  order  in  coming  in  and  going  out.  No  order  of  this  kind  can 
be  expected  in  a  room  that  obliges  the  children  to  become  wedged 
together  when  they  are  leaving  the  house. 

To  encourage  exercise  in  the  open  air,  and  to  afford  the  pupils 
an  opportunity  to  enjoy  it,  the  school-house  should  be  provided 
with  a  good  play  ground  for  mild  and  open  weather,  and  a  simple 
gymnasium  under  cover  to  be  used  when  the  weather  is  moist. 
The  two  sexes  should  have  separate  grounds  for  their  recreation. 

Niches  in  the  different  rooms  of  the  school-house  should  be  made 
for  the  accommodation  of  the  busts  of  distinguished  men,  whose 
features  might  serve  a  good  purpose  by  inspiring  a  rational 
ambition  in  the  breast  of  the  youthful  pupil.  Pots  of  flowers 
placed  here  and  there  in  the  window  seats  would  present  a  charm- 
ing appearance,  and  encourage  a  taste  for  simple  pleasures  and  a 
love  of  nature.  No  available  circumstance  should  be  omitted  to 
render  the  school-room  a  pleasant  place  of  resort,  instead  of  a  prison 
room  from  which  all  are  glad  to  escape. 


ESTIMATE   FOR  DESIGN  NO.   I. 

10,500  feet  of  boards,  for  all  purposes,  $17.00  per  M.         .        .      $178.50 

3,000    «     «  timber,  8x8  and  7x7,     15.00        "...       45.00 

875     "      «   rafters,  3x5,  15.00         «   ,         .         .  13.12 


CARPENTEE'S  SPECIFICATIONS  —  DESIGN   NO.    1.  15 

2,400     "      "   deep  joist,  3  x  8  and  2  x  7, 15.00         "...  36.00 

1,500     "     "   studding,  3x5  and  2x5,  15.00         "...  22.50 

15  M.  shaved  cedar  shingles,  $6.50  per  M.  laid,       .         .         .  97.50 

1,200  clapboards,  extra  No.  1,  planed  and  laid,  $8  per  hundred,  96.00 

.1 60  feet  jut,  corners,  &c,  40  cents  per  foot,       ....  64.00 

500  lbs.  nails,  4^  cents  per  lb., 22.50 

Framing,  raising,  and  boarding, 100.00 

7  windows,  hung  with  weights,  and  finished,  $9.50,      .         .         .  66.50 

Laying  floors,  sheathing,  and  blackboards, 73.00 

5  doors,  trimmings,  finish,  and  portico, 85.00 

380  yards  lathing  and  plastering,  20  cents  per  yard,        .         .         .  76.00 

Partition,  and  furring,  . 19.00 

Painting  two  coats,  in  and  out  side, 90.00 

Foundation,  steps,  well  and  pump, 125.00 

Shed  for  wood,  privy,  &c, 100.00 

$1,309.62 


CARPENTER'S   SPECIFICATIONS. 

The  Building  to  be  13  feet  high  in  the  clear  when  finished. 

Size  op  Timber.  —  Sills  and  cross  floor  timbers,  8  by  8  inches;  corner 
posts,  7x7,  boxed  out ;  centre  posts,  5x8;  plates,  7x7;  beams,  8x8; 
truss  timbei-s,  6x6;  rafters,  2x7,  with  collar  to  each  pair ;  floor  joist,  3x8; 
ceiling  joist,  2x7,  and  furred ;  studding,  3x5  and  2x5;  alternate  braces, 
6  feet  long;  the  whole  to  be  well  framed  and  pinned  with  hard  wood  pins. 

Roof  —  To  be  covered  with  sound  boards,  well  nailed,  and  shingled  with 
extra  No.  1  shaved  cedar  shingles,  not  to  exceed  5  inches  to  the  weather, 
and  to  be  nailed  with  Swedish  nails ;   roof  of  the  portico  to  be  tinned. 

Projection  and  Portico. —  The  roof  to  project  2  feet,  with  plain  finish 
and  brackets  in  the  front  end;  see  Plate.  A  bracketed  portico  over  the 
front  door,  supported  by  trusses  or  large  brackets ;  plain  2  inch  bead 
corners. 

Ci.ArBOARDiNG  —  To  be  done  in  the  best  manner  —  |j  thickest  edge  and 
\y  at  least,  at  thin  edge  —  lapped  one  inch,  thoroughly  nailed  with  5d  nails. 

Windows.  —  Four  windows  in  the  scbool-room  of  24  lights,  10x14,  first 
quality  double  thick  German  glass,  sash  1^  inch  thick  ;  hard  pine  stiles  to 
frames;  3  inches  thick  window  sill ;  H  inch  fascia,  wide  j.op,  with  cap  mould. 
Two  windows  in  front,  12  lights,  10x15,  and  side  lights  to  front  door; 
circular  head  window  in  the  pable  end,  10xl">,  '-  lights.     A  sky-light  pear 


16  CARPENTER'S   SPECIFICATIONS  —  DESIGN  NO.  1. 

the  centre  of  the  building,  nine  lights,  8x12,  double  thick  glass ;'  hinged 
with  safety  rod  and  fastenings. 

Doors  and  Trimmings.  —  Front  door,  3  feet  6  by  7  —  6,  If  thick,  4 
panels,  moulded  on  both  sides ;  4^  mortice  lock,  and  mineral  knob ;  hung 
with  4|  loose  butts;  hard  wood  sill.  Inside  doors,  2  feet  10  by  7  feet,  1| 
thick>  4  panels,  raised  both  sides,  trimmed  with  mortice  locks,  mineral  knobs, 
and  3^  loose  butts. 

Floors. —  Good  hard  pine  or  spruce,  narrow  boards,  planed  and  laid  in 
the  best  manner,  after  being  thoroughly  seasoned.  Front  entry  laid  with 
Southern  hard  pine. 

Lathing  and  Plastering^  —  First  quality  1^  inch  laths  well  put  on ; 
plastered  with  good  lime,  coarse  sand,  and  hair  mortar;  with  a  good  skim- 
coat  put  on  the  whole  and  well  finished. 

Finish  Inside.  —  The  school-room  and  entry  to  be  sheathed  three  feet 
high,  with  sound  narrow  boards,  thoroughly  dried.  The  blackboards  to  be 
set  on  the  top  of  the  sheathing  at  the  front  and  back  ends  of  the  room. 
A  platform  for  the  teacher's  desk,  5  by  7  feet,  8  inches  high. 


II. 

COLOR  OF  THE  OUTSIDE  OF  BUILDINGS. 

A  great  deal  has  been  written  of  late  concerning  the  propriety 
or  the  impropriety  of  certain  colors  for  the  outside  of  buildings. 
White  was  formerly,  in  this  country,  the  fashionable  and  almost 
universal  color  used  for  this  purpose.  It  was  ridiculed  by  Sir 
Unedale  Price,  in  his  wo*rk  "  On  the  Picturesque,"  and  afterwards 
by  Mr.  Downing.  Thereupon  it  became  the  fashion  to  use  paints 
almost  black,  varying  from  a  drab  to  a  dark  brown,  or  bronze. 
Many  a  pretty  little  white  cottage  was  transformed  into  something 
that  resembled  an  unpainted  shanty.  Such  dismal  hues  prevailed 
in  the  outside  colors  of  the  majority  of  our  dwellings,  in  certain 
places,  especially  in  the  suburbs  of  our  cities,  that  the  spectator 
was  affected  with  an  actual  depression  of  spirits,  by  looking  at 
them.  These  gloomy  colors  were  justly  ridiculed  in  their  turn, 
and  gradually  gave  place  to  lighter  tints,  consisting  of  white,  slightly 
tempered  by  a  mixture  of  brown,  yellow,  olive,  or  other  sober  hues. 
The  dark,  sombre  paints  are  now  universally  condemned  and 
rejected. 

A  very  great  latitude  may  be  permitted  in  the  choice  of  colors. 
Good  taste  would  reject  none  whatever,  except  those  which  are 
very  glaring  or  beautiful,  very  sombre  or  very  peculiar.  Dark 
colors  may  sometimes  be  used,  when  relieved  by  combination  with 
such  as  are  light  and  brilliant.  We  have  often  been  very  agree- 
ably impressed  by  the  sight  of  a  plain  cottage,  which  was  of  a 
dark  stone  color,  from  having  never  received  a  coat  of  paint,  while 
the  window  sashes,  window  frames  and  corner  trimmings  were 
painted  white.  The  sombre  effect  of  the  dark  surface  was  pleas- 
ingly relieved  by  the  neat  and  cheerful  appearance  of  the  white 
window  frames  and  other  light  colored  wood-work.  Some  artists 
and  connoisseurs  affect  an  abhorrence  of  such  contrasts ;  but  we 
must  not  allow  our  judgment  to  be  misled  by  the  prejudices  of 
men  who  are  wedded   to  certain  established   notions.     Though  we 


18  COLOR    OF    THE    OUTSIDE    OF   BUILDINGS. 

would  not  recommend  the  practice  of  painting  houses  of  a  brick 
red,  yet  we  have  often  been  pleased  with  the  appearance  of  a 
neat  farm  house  of  this  color,  with  the  trimmings  of  white,  not- 
withstanding its  supposed  violation  of  rules.  The  reasons  for  con- 
demning this  color,  when  it  does  not  approach  to  a  scarlet,  are 
not  very  intelligible ;  and  if  any  man  should  choose  it  for  a  plain 
dwelling,  we  have  no  doubt  he  could  prove  the  correctness  of  his 
taste  by  as  just  a  course  of  reasoning  as  may  be  adduced  in  fa- 
vor of    any  other  tint. 

White,  though  a  glaring  color,  seems  better  than  any  other  to 
reflect  the  light  from  the  surface,  and  to  prevent  it  from  receiving 
injury  from  the  intense  rays  of  a  sumrrrer  sun.  Dark  colors,  on 
this  account,  are  the  worst,  inasmuch  as  they  absorb  the  sun's 
rays,  and  expose  the  surface  of  the  building  to  an  almost  burning 
heat.  A  little  settlement  of  white  cottages  presents  nothing  dis- 
agreeable to  the  sight,  and  in  the  winter  season  they  harmonize 
with  nature,  when  the  ground  is  covered  with  snow.  At  other 
times,  white  paint  renders  a  house  a  too  conspicuous  or  prominent 
an  object  in  the  landscape.  Almost  all  that  is  said,  however,  of 
the  harmony  of  colors  is  dogmatical.  Let  us  prefer  those  tints 
and  those  combinations  of  tints,  which  are  the  most  permanently 
agreeable  to  the  eye,  in  their  situation,  even  though  condemned 
by  some  whimsical  rule  of  art.  There  are  many  paints,  such  as 
a  light  drab,  yellow  or  straw-color,  that  might  be  preferred  to  white, 
as  less  glaring  and  equally  cheerful.  We  would  discard  only  those 
which  are  very  brilliant,  very  sombre  or  extremely  odd. 

It  is  fashion  chiefly  that  leads  men  astray  in  these  matters. 
White  became  a  genuine  color  for  dwelling-houses,  not  only  on 
account  of  its  neat  and  cheerful  appearance  but  also  on  account 
of  its  superior  durability.  All  people  are  disposed  to  be  imitators, 
and  few  could  bear  to  be  so  singular  as  to  mix  any  other  color 
with  their  paint,  until  fashion  suddenly  issued  a  decree  that  white 
must  no  longer  be  used,  and  that  henceforth  the  darkest  hues, 
which  are  not  absolutely  black,  must  be  the  outside  colors  of  every 
respectable  dwelling-house.  As  soon  as  the  novelty  of  this  prac- 
tice was  over,  every  body  was  displeased  with  these  gloomy  tints. 
In  a  crowded  settlement  of  buildings  painted  in  this  manner,  it 
was    not    always    easy    to    perceive    that    there    was    any    sunshine 


COLOR   OF   THE    OUTSIDE   OF    BUILDINGS.  19 

upon  them,  so  indistinct  were  the  shadows  cast  upon  them  in  the 
broadest  light  of  day.  Brilliant  as  our  climate  is,  compared  with 
that  of  other  countries,  we  do  not  understand  the  course  of  reason- 
ing which  would  prove  that  we  must,  on  that  account,  paint  our 
houses  more  soberly  than  other  nations  do.  On  the  principle  of 
harmony  which  forms  the  basis  of  this  reasoning,  the  opposite  rule 
should  govern  our  practice,  that  the  bright  colors  of  our  dwelling- 
houses  may  correspond  with  the  splendor  of  the  sunshine,  the  dis- 
tinctness of  the  shadows,  and  the  brilliant  hues  of  the  sky  and 
the  landscape. 

No  circumstance,  that  is  independent  of  moral  causes,  contributes 
in  so  great  a  degree  to  promote  an  internal  cheerfulness  and  seren- 
ity of  mind,  as  the  sight  of  neatly  painted  dwelling-houses,  not 
too  brilliant,  glittering  in  the  sunshine,  and  surrounded  by  well- 
tilled  but  not  highly  decorated  grounds.  The  lighter  the  colors  of 
the  outside,  if  not  purely  white,  the  more  pleasing  in  their  aspect 
at  all  seasons.  They  are  lively,  but  not  dazzling  in  the  sunshine ; 
they  are  cheerful  in  dull  cloudy  weather ;  they  are  beautiful  in  the 
clear  moonlight.  When  an  American  visits  England,  he  is  struck 
with  the  sober  appearance  of  the  dwelling-houses,  in  all  parts  of  the 
country ;  but  he  finds  the  same  sobriety  pervading  the  sky  and  the 
landscape.  The  aspect  of  combined  nature  and  art  on  the  continent 
of  Europe,  is  less  sober  than  that  of  Great  Britain,  and  less  brilliant 
than  that  of  America.  The  great  masters  of  landscape  painting, 
basing  the  rules  of  art  on  familiar  scenes,  established  a  somewhat 
different  set  of  canons  from  those  which  would  spontaneously  arise 
in  the  minds  of  American  artists.  Hence  the  ideas  of  an  American 
in  regard  to  the  picturesque  differ  essentially  from  those  of  an  Eu- 
ropean: But  while  we  freely  admit  the  superiority,  both  in  theory 
and  practice,  of  foreign  artists,  we  ought  not  to  be  slavishly  governed 
by  their  rules. 

The  architect  is  generally  swayed  by  his  ideas  of  the  picturesque 
in  designing  both  the  forms  of  his  buildings  and  the  color  of  their 
exterior.  But  the  laws  that  govern  the  painter  do  not  unqualifiedly 
apply  to  objects  in  real  landscape.  Any  one  who  gives  particular 
attention  to  these  studies,  soon  learns  that  many  a  charming  scene 
in  our  villages  would  be  wholly  unattractive  on  canvas.  But  when 
we  are  designing  a  dwelling-house,  and  studying  the  rules  for  paint- 


20  COLOR    OF    THE    OUTSIDE    OF   BUILDINGS. 

ing  it,  we  should  consider  its  appearance  in  real  landscape,  rather 
than  its  picturesque  effects.  In  real  landscape  we  look  for  the  in- 
dications of  neatness,  cheerfulness  and  comfort ;  in  a  picture  we  are 
better  pleased  with  scenes  that  suggest  romantic  and  poetic  images. 

Those  buildings  are  generally  the  most  pleasing  to  the  eye  which 
are  not  painted  entirely  of  one  color.  Among  our  predecessors  in 
New  England,  it  was  customary  to  use  two  or  three  different  tints 
for  the  same  house.  When  the  general  surface  is  light,  the  window 
sashes  are  often  painted  dark ;  and  when  the  general  surface  is  dark, 
some  other  portions  are  painted  white.  The  majority  of  our  dwell- 
ing-houses have  green  blinds  ;  and  the  contrast  made  by  them,  when 
joined  to  a  white  painted  house,  has  been  very  generally  ridiculed. 
We  are  inclined  to  believe  that  if  the  white  and  the  green  paints 
used  in  this  connection,  were  sobered  by  a  slight  mixture  of  some 
other  color,  the  effect  would  be  more  generally  pleasing.  An  entire 
uniformity  of  color  is  blank  and  tiresome,  and  should  be  relieved  by 
contrasts  more  or  less  distinct,  according  as  the  main  surface  is  more 
or  less  glaring  or  sober.  If  the  window  frames  and  window  sashes 
are  light  when  the  house  is  of  a  dark  tint,  the  effect  of  the  whole  is 
more  lively  and  cheerful.  The  reverse  of  this  sobers  the  glaring  ap- 
pearance of  a  light  ground-work.  It  is  difficult  to  establish  any  very 
explicit  rules  on  this  subject.  We  would  leave  these  matters  chiefly 
to  the  taste  of  individuals,  recommending,  as  a  general  rule,  to  avoid 
brilliant  colors  and  glaring  contrasts,  and  to  prefer  light  to  any  very 
dark  or  sombre  tints.    > 


DESIGN,     No.    II. 


PLAN 


A,  Parlor.     B,  Store  Room.     C,  Sink  Room.     D,  Front  Entry. 
B,  Living  Room. 


DESIGN  NO.  II. 


A  SMALL  VILLAGE  RESIDENCE. 


The  accompanying  design  is  one  of  a  country  house,  suitable  for 
a  small  lot  of  land,  to  be  built  for  a  low  price.  It  is  constructed  of 
wood,  in  a  neat  and  simple  style,  and  will  accommodate  a  family  of 
five  or  six  members.  It  contains  a  parlor,  a  living-room,  with  a*  small 
sink-room  and  store-room;  a  front  entry  and  stairs,  and  a  back 
entrance,  and  a  passage  down  cellar  from  the  sink-room. 

On  the  second  floor  are  three  middle  sized  sleeping-rooms,  and  one 
small  room  is  obtained  over  the  front  entry  by  setting  the  partition 
two  feet  over  the  lower  room  ;  or  it  may  be  fitted  for  a  bathing-room, 
of  the  same  width  as  the  entry.  The  attic  is  large  enough  for  a 
good  store-room,  and  might  afford  space  for  two  sleeping-rooms,  by  a 
division  in  the  centre. 

When  preparing  to  build  a  house  of  this  class,  the  first  movement 
should  be  to  purchase  all  the  lumber,  that  it  may  be  thoroughly  sea- 
soned. Most  of  our  low  priced  cottages  are  built  hastily,  of  lumber 
very  imperfectly  dried,  the  drying  process  not  being  completed  until 
after  the  house  is  built.  Hence  the  shrinking  of  doors  and  of  inte- 
rior boarding,  producing  unsightly  crevices,  and  admitting  the  outer 
air,  to  an  uncomfortable  extent.  This  evil  may  be  avoided  by  a 
small  additional  expense  at  the  outset  in  the  purchase  of  dry  lumber 
and  housing  it. 

A  very  great  saving  in  the  amount  of  lumber  may  be  made  by 
purchasing  piece-lumber,  so  called.  The  timber,  floor-joists  and  stud- 
ding can  be  purchased  of  the  right  length.  If  the  covering,  roof 
and  floor  boards  arc  13,  14,  or  16  feet  long,  the  house  may  be  framed 
to  suit  the  different  lengths  with  but  very  little  waste. 

It  would  be  promotive  of  economy  in  building  a  house  like  this,  to 
purchase  sound  low-priced  lumber,  having  clear  edges,  and  parts  of 
boards  that  are  clear,  and  cut  from  the  whole  lot  all  the  finish  that 
may  be  wanted,  leaving  nothing  to  waste,  as  the  pieces  may  be  used 

23 


24  ESTIMATE      FOR   DESIGN   NO.    II. 

for  under-floors,  roofs,  and  other  rough  work.     It  may  then  be  put 
through  the  planing-mill  and  easily  fitted  for  the  building. 

Nearly  all  the  finishing  for  a  common  house  can  be  made  ready  for 
use  before  the  frame  is  made,  and  left  to  become  thoroughly  sea- 
soned. Floor  boards  should  be  selected,  cut  to  a  proper  length  and 
set  up  until  wanted.  If  they  lie  in  a  close  pile  they  will  gather 
dampness.  Top  floors  should  be  dried  by  spreading  them  in  the  sun, 
or  by  inside  heat ;  coal  heat  is  the  best  for  this  purpose. 


ESTIMATE    FOR   DESIGN   NO.   II. 

4,000  feet  timber  and  joist,  board  measure,  $15.00  per  M.           .  S60.00 

9,000     "     common  boards,                                   15.00        "           .         .  135.00 

8  M.  shaved  cedar  shingles,  nails  and  laying,  $5  per  M.      .  40.00 

900  clapboards,  planed  and  laid,  $7  per  hundred,          .         .         .  63.00 

375  yards  lathing,  plastering,  and  partition,        ....  87.00 

13  windows,  finished  inside  and  out,  $3.75  each,          .         .         .  48.75 

13  doors,  finished  and  trimmed,  $5.75  each,     ....  74.75 

500  lbs.  nails,  4^  cents  per  lb., 22.50 

Framing,  boarding,  &c, 75.50 

Laving  floors,  mop-board,  finish,  and  shelves,  .....  40.00 

One  chimney,  straight  flue,  16x20,  lead  on  roof,         .         .         .  20.00 

Stairs,  first  and  second  story,  and  cellar,  straight  run,      .         .         .  25.00 

Painting  two  coats,  inside  and  out,  and  papering,          .         .         .  75.00 

Cellar,  well  and  pump,  as  an  average,     ......  175.00 

$941.00 


CARPENTER'S   SPECIFICATIONS. 

Stories. —  Cellar  under  tbe  whole  house,  7  feet  in  the  clear.  First 
story,  8^  feet ;  second,  8  feet ;  the  plates  one  foot  above  the  aitic  floor 
when  finished. 

Size  of  Timber.  —  The  sills  and  centre  timbers,  7X7  inches;  tin-  posts, 
girts,  plates,  and  attic  floor  timbers,  4x7;  deep  joist,  first  floor,  2x8;  all 
others,  2x7;  studs,  2x4  and  3X4;  rafters,  2x6;  floor  joist  laid  on  the 
top  of  the  girts  and  spiked  to  the  studs ;  well  framed  and  pinned  with  hard 
wood  pins. 


CARPENTER'S   SPECIFICATIONS — DESIGN  NO.  II.  25 

Roof.  —  To  be  covered  with  common  sound  lumber,  and  shingled  with 
No.  1  shaved  cedar  shingles ;  not  more  than  five  inches  to  the  weather, 
well  laid  and  nailed  with  Swedish  nails. 

Projection  and  Corners.  —  The  roof  to  project  over  the  sides  and 
ends  18  inches ;  to  be  sheathed  on  the  under  side  of  the  rafters.  Plank  or 
bead  corners  rabbeted  f  of  an  inch  to  fit  the  corner,  and  rounded  to  the 
clapboards. 

Clapboarding. —  To  be  clear  heart  lumber,  well  dried,  planed  and  but- 
ted, and  put  on  in  a  workman-like  manner,  well  nailed,  and  lapped  not  less 
than  one  inch. 

Windows.  —  Common  plain  frames,  l£  inch  fascia,  with  wide  top  and 
cap-mould,  rabbeted  and  made  water-tight.  If  inch  lip  sash,  with  first 
quality  of  German  glass,  10x15,  12  lights  to  each  window.  A  skylight; 
glass  double  thickness,  8X12,  9  lights,  made  water-tight  with  lead  round 
the  frame  outside. 

Doors  and  Trimmings.  —  Two  outside  doors,  If  inches  thick,  4  panels, 
front  door  moulded  on  one  side ;  and  raised  panels  on  all  the  inside  doors ; 
inside  doors  If  inches  thick,  2  feet  6  inches  by  6  feet  8  inches,  4  panels; 
trimmed  with  3  inch  loose  butts,  and  American  thumb-latch ;  front  door 
trimmed  with  mortice  lock,  plain  glass  knob,  and  3^  inch  loose  butts. 

Stairs.  —  Steps  of  hard  pine  or  spruce ;  a  turned  newel  and  hand-rail  in 
the  front  entry  as  far  as  the  attic  stairs;  a  partition  on  both  sides  of  the 
cellar  stairs,  with  plank  stringers  and  hard  pine  steps. 

Floors. — To  be  laid  with  sound  spruce  or  pine  narrow  boards,  planed, 
thoroughly  seasoned,  and  well  nailed  with  lOd  floor  nails.  Sink-room  laid 
with  hard  pine ;  sink  made  of  pure  pine  lumber,  of  suitable  size,  with  water 
conductor  to  the  drain. 

Lathing  and  Plastering.  —  Laths  to  be  H  inch  pine  laths,  f  thick, 
free  from  knots,  and  well  put  on  ;  plastered  with  good  lime,  coarse  sand, 
and  hair  mortar;   with  skim-coat  thoroughly  smoothed. 

Painting  and  Papering.  —  The  outside  to  have  two  good  coats  of  pure 
white  lead  and  oil,  well  put  on  ;  sash  drawn  with  two  coats ;  the  standing 
work  inside  to  be  painted  with  two  coats  of  zinc  white  and  oil,  and  var- 
nished; the  stairs  on  each  flight,  kitchen,  sink  room  and  front  entry  floors 
to  be  painted  with  white  lead  and  oil,  in  colors.  The  parlor  and  front 
entry  to  be  papered  with  37  cent  paper;  sitting  room  and  chambers,  with 
25  cent  paper ;  all  well  put  on,  with  border  in  the  parlor  to  match. 


III. 

ON  THE  EXPEDIENCY  OF  OWNING  A  HOUSE. 

Every  married  man  who  earns  his  living  by  the  labor  of  his 
hands  onght  to  be  the  occupant  of  his  own  house.  No  matter 
how  small  the  tenement,  though  it  be  a  mere  hut,  built  at  the  cost 
of  only  two  hundred  dollars.  It  is  only  by  becoming  the  owner 
of  a  house  that  one  can  render  himself  independent  of  landlords, 
or  can  hope  by  small  earnings  to  accumulate  property.  He  who 
lives  in  a  hired  tenement  is  liable  to  be  removed  at  the  end  of 
his  term,  and  he  cannot  know  with  certainty  whether  he  shall  be 
fortunate  or  unfortunate  in  his  next  move.  He  enjoys  less  liberty 
during  his  lease  than  if  the  house  were  his  own  property,  and  the 
improvements  which  he  is  obliged  to  make  for  his  own  temporary 
convenience  are  less  valuable  to  him  than  if  the  house  were  his 
own.  It  is  better,  therefore,  to  occupy  constantly  a  decent  and 
comfortable  hut,  with  only  as  many  rooms  as  absolute  necessity 
requires,  than  to  be  moving  round  from  one  house  to  another,  with 
the  chance  of  now  and  then  obtaining  one  that  is  pleasant  and 
commodious,  i>ut  more  frequently  one  that  is  disagreeable  and 
inconvenient. 

According  to  an  old  saying,  "  three  removes  are  equal  to  one 
fire" — that  is,  one  who  has  removed  his  family  from  one  hired 
house  to  another  three  different  times,  has  suffered  as  much  injury, 
when  all  circumstances  are  taken  into  account,  as  he  would  be 
likely  to  suffer  from  being  once  burned  out  of  house  and  home. 
The  injury  to  one's  household  furniture  by  removing  it  from  place 
to  place,  the  cost  of  freight  and  the  labor  attending  the  removal, 
and  the  loss  of  time  which  is  consumed  in  adapting  furniture  to 
the  new  tenement,  produce  an  aggregate  of  considerable  expense. 
There  still  remains  the  additional  cost  of  new  articles  of  furniture 
which  the  new  situation  requires,  and  the  sacrifice  of  some  valu- 
able articles  which  in  one's  present  dwelling  cannot  be  used. 
Every   change    of    abode    creates    new    wants,   sometimes    by    its 

2fi 


ON  THE  EXPEDIENCY  OP  OWNING  A  HOUSE.  27 

additional  space,  and  sometimes  by  its  deficiency  of  conveniences. 
An  additional  room  requires  an  enlargement  of  one's  stock  of 
furniture,  and  one  room  less  than  in  the  last  house  occupied 
causes  a  sacrifice  of  a  part  of  it.  There  is  no  end  indeed  to  the 
troubles,  sacrifices,  and  expenses  occasioned  by  thus  moving  about 
from  house  to  house.  The  cutting  of  carpets,  to  n't  them  to  new 
rooms,  is  a  practice  when  often  repeated  that  is  very  destructive. 

There  is  another  important  view  of  the  matter  that  remains  to 
be  considered.  A  constant  moving  from  house  to  house  causes  one 
to  acquire  thriftless  habits,  and  is  opposed  to  the  practice  of  a 
wise  and  judicious  economy.  It  induces  one  to  "  spend  as  he 
goes,"  and  to  act  on  the  principle  of  allowing  the  morrow  to  take 
care  of  itself.  "  Take  no  thought  for  the  morrow"  was  a  precept 
given  by  Jesus  Christ  ■  to  his  disciples  as  a  principle  of  action 
while  they  were  engaged  in  their  divine  apostolic  mission,  and 
referred  to  their  present  necessity  of  leaving  all  their  worldly  occu- 
pations and  taking  no  such  thought  for  the  morrow,  as  would 
interfere  with  the  duties  of  their  mission.  This  precept  was  not 
designed  to  establish  a  point  of  worldly  wisdom.  It  is  every  man's 
duty  to  provide  for  the  future ;  and  it  is  notorious  that  the  man 
who  buys  a  little  cottage  when  he  is  first  married,  and  continues 
to  hold  it,  almost  invariably  accumulates  property;  while  another, 
under  similar  circumstances  in  every  other  respect,  is  apt  to  con- 
sume all  his  earnings  and  to  end  his  days  in  poverty. 

A  mechanic  or  a  merchant's  clerk  must  live  outside  of  the  city, 
however,  to  become  the  proprietor  of  a  house,  under  ordinary  cir- 
cumstances of  fortune.  At  the  present  day,  when  every  foot  of 
surface  in  the  city  is  worth  as  many  dollars  as  will  cover  it,  the 
man  who  lives  upon  the  wages  of  his  labor  cannot  afford  to  buy 
a  house  or  even  to  hire  one  within  its  limits.  The  house  of  a 
laboring  man,  and  of  any  person  of  small  income,  must  be  located 
in  the  country.  Health,  comfort,  and  convenience  unite  in  urging 
him  to  the  same  end.  In  the  country  he  may  buy  a  house  *md 
land  for  less  money  than  he  must  pay  for  rent  to  obtain  as  much 
accommodation  in  the  city,  and  is  in  a  situation  that  allows  him 
to  make  the  most  profitable  use  of  his  own  time  and  labor. 

One's  own  house  is  a  spot  around  which  all  other  kinds  of  pos- 
sessions and  conveniences  naturally  accumulate.     Many  little  arti- 


28  ON  THE  EXPEDIENCY  OF  OWNING  A  HOUSE. 

cles  of  property  are  saved  which  would  otherwise  be  sacrificed; 
and  many  a  leisure  hour  may  be  employed  in  making  improve- 
ments, in  building  appendages  to  it,  in  adding  to  its  conveniences, 
which  might  otherwise  be  spent  without  any  definite  gain.  Hence, 
one  of  the  principal  advantages  of  occupying  one's  own  house 
consists  in  the  opportunity  it  affords  of  using  and  economising 
one's  own  labor  and  leisure.  If  he  is  obliged  to  suspend  his  regu- 
lar employment  for  a  few  days,  he  can  spend  that  time  in  mak- 
ing some  important  improvement  in  his  house  or  his  land. 

There  is  likewise  a  great  deal  of  labor-saving  to  be  derived 
from  this  circumstance  for  the  advantage  of  the  females  of  one's 
household.  If  their  labor  requires  an  additional  convenience  to 
be  appended  to  the  house,  it  can  be  added  without  waiting  for 
the  consent  of  a  landlord.  One  is  at  liberty  to  make  a  place  for 
everything,  and  it  becomes,  therefore,  an  easy  task  to  keep  every 
thing  in  its  place.  The  occupants  of  a  hired  house  are  obliged 
to  make  a  new  arrangement  of  all  things  on  every  removal,  and 
are  led  by  discouragement  to  become  careless  of  order  and  system. 
Their  labors  are  greatly  increased  by  these  frequent  changes,  and 
less  time  is  left  to  them  for  the  profitable  use  of  their  hands  after 
their  daily  tasks  have  been  accomplished. 

We  have  named  only  a  few  among  a  multitude  of  reasons  which 
should  induce  a  young  mechanic,  or  clerk,  or  professional  man, 
or  any  one  who  lives  upon  the  wages  of  his  labor  or  upon  a  small 
income,  on  setting  out  in  life,  to  purchase  a  plain  and  convenient 
house,  in  a  commodious  and  pleasant  situation.  It  will  serve  to 
endear  him  to  his  home,  to  encourage  industry  in  his  habits  and 
economy  in  his  expenses,  remove  him  from  the.  petty  tyranny  of 
landlords,  and  enable  him  to  employ  his  leisure  time  in  profitable 
labor. 


DBS  I  ON,  No.   III. 


PLAN. 


A,  Store  Room,    B,  Living  Room.    C,  Front  Entry..    D,  Parlor. 


DESIGN   NO.   III. 


ANOTHER     SMALL     RESIDENCE. 


This  design  is  of  a  country  residence  on  a  small  scale,  adapted 
to  the  wants  of  a  small  family,  but  combining  as  many  conveni- 
ences and  advantages  as  possible,  taking  into  consideration  its  cost. 
There  are  two  large  square  rooms  on  the  first  floor,  with  front  entry,, 
store-room,  and  sink  room.  The  stairs  are  in  the  centre  of  the 
house,  with  a  good  sized  pantry  in  the  rear;  one  large  and  two 
small  chambers,  with  closets  for  clothing.  The  estimated  cost  of 
such  a  house  is  thirteen  hundred  dollars. 

31 


IV. 

HINTS  ON  MECHANICS. 

Though  the  New  Englanders  are  proverbial  for  their  ingenuity 
and  their  talent  for  learning  readily  the  practice  of  any  new  art  or 
trade,  it  is  still  a  lamentable  fact  that  the  majority  of  our  mechanics, 
especially  our  carpenters,  are  but  poorly  acquainted  with  their  art. 
There  are  few  only  who  are  capable  of  superintending  the  construc- 
tion of  a  first-class  house,  with  a  wise  regard  to  economy  and  with  a 
just  calculation  in  the  use  of  lumber.  These  deficiencies  may  be 
explained  in  several  ways.  In  the  first  place,  employers  do  not  make 
a  proper  distinction  between  a  thoroughly  bred  carpenter  and  one  who 
has,  as  it  were,  merely  "  taken  up  the  trade,"  without  instruction  in 
the  elementary  practice  of  it.  Men  in  general  prefer  to  hire  the  cheap- 
est labor,  not  considering  that  a  wise  economy  would  direct  them  to 
pay  more  for  a  good  workman  than  for  a  mere  pretender.  Hence 
there  is  not  sufficient  encouragement  held  out,  as  an  inducement  to 
young  men  to  perfect  themselves  in  their  art.  A  pretender  is  as  well 
paid  for  his  services  as  a  thorough-bred  workman.  This  evil  extends 
through  all  the  departments  of  constructive  and  decorative  art  in  this 
country,  and  has  rendered  our  people  as  notorious  for  their  imperfec- 
tions, as  for  their  ingenuity.  Real  merit  gains  among  us  a  no  better 
reward  than  its  counterfeit. 

In  the  second  place,  our  mechanics  do  not  generally  serve  a  regular 
five  or  seven  year's  apprentice-ship,  as  they  do  in  Great  Britain. 
There  are  very  many  who  call  themselves  carpenters,  who  have  occa- 
sionally assisted  in  some  of  the  most  simple  operations,  who  set  up 
as  journeymen,  and  claim  wages  equal  to  those  which  are  paid  to 
one  who  is  will  versed  in  all  the  branches  of  his  art.  Such  individ- 
uals might,  by  proper  attention  to  the  business,  become  in  a  few  years 
very  good  workmen,  but  no  man  should  consent  to  pay  them  the 
wages  of  a  complete  carpenter.  If  the  labor  of  the  former  is  worth 
two  dollars  a  day,  that  of  the  latter  is  certainly  worth  more  in  pro- 
portion to  his  superior  skill.     Either  the  one  should  be  cut  down  or 

32 


HINTS   ON  MECHANICS.  33 

the  other  should  be  raised,  as  an  encouragement  to  merit  and  a  dis- 
couragement to  pretence.  Let  these  inferior  mechanics  consent  to 
work  at  low  wages,  under  the  daily  instn*tion  of  one  who  is  master 
of  his  art,  and  at  the  expiration  of  five  years  he  would  be  able  to 
compete  with  his  instructor.  As  reason  is  all  that  elevates  a  human 
being  above  a  brute,  so  are  knowledge  and  skill  the  only  qualities  that 
distinguish  a  mechanic  from  a  common  untaught  laborer  on  the 
highways,  and  they  are  the  only  qualities  that  give  dignity  to  labor. 

The  acquisition  of  a  mechanical  art  is  not  to  be  made  in  a  month 
or  a  year;  those  that  think  otherwise  must  have  a  very  low  estimate 
of  mechanical  skill.  We  rate  it  so  highly  as  to  believe  that  it  can- 
not be  acquired  in  less  time  than  would  be  necessary  to  render  one 
the  master  of  a  foreign  language  or  of  a  musical  instrument. 
Though  there  are  undoubtedly  many  excellent  carpenters  who  have 
not  served  a  seven  years  apprentice-ship,  they  are  exceptions  to  the 
rule,  and  these,  it  will  be  found,  have  not  learned  their  art  without 
many  years  study  and  practice.  There  are  some  learned  men  who 
never  entered  a  college ;  ninety  nine  out  of  a  hundred  will  be  found 
among  graduates,  and  all,  without  exception,  must  have  been  diligent 
students  for  a  long  series  of  years.  The  same  rule  of  the  necessity 
of  early  instruction,  and  continued  practice  and  experience,  applies  to 
the  disciples  of  all  the  arts  and  professions,  learned  or  practical,  me- 
chanical or  theoretical.  No  man  can  learn  well  any  art  or  trade, 
without  long  study  and  practice,  commenced  in  early  life  and  con- 
tinued in  manhood. 

It  will  be  long  before  the  generality  of  men  will  learn  to  distin- 
guish between  the  well  instructed  and  pretenders  in  the  various 
arts  and  professions.  How  many  persons  prefer  a  stupid  and 
audacious  quack  to  a  regularly  educated  physician,  as  if  the  most 
difficult  science  that  was  ever  studied  by  mankind  could  be  learned 
by  an  illiterate  person,  without  any  instruction,  and  with  the  aid 
of  only  a  few  years  of  solitary  personal  experience !  There  are  but 
few  individuals  who  are  capable  of  perceiving  the  difference  between 
genuine  skill  and  its  counterfeit,  because  this  discernment  is  the 
result  of  a  great  deal  of  common  sense  united  with  superior  infor- 
mation. It  is  the  duty,  therefore,  of  all  who  are  capable  of  making 
these  distinctions,  to  prefer  those  who   are  the  most  skilful.      Let 


34  HINTS   ON   MECHANICS. 

every  one  be  paid  and  employed  according  to  his  skill,  and  all 
would  be  stimulated  to  become  masters  of  their  art,  before  they 
set  themselves  up  as  practitioners. 

As  the  country  grows  older,  the  evil  we  are  lamenting  will 
undoubtedly  cure  itself.  As  the  ranks  of  the  different  professions 
become  filled  with  greater  multitudes  of  heads  and  hands,  the 
merits  of  all  will  be  more  carefully  examined,  and  tKe  chance  of 
the  pretender's  success  will  become  exceedingly  small.  The  sooner 
and  the  oftener  public  attention  is  directed  to  this  point,  the  sooner 
will  the  reform  be  commenced  and  the  evil  we  deprecate  be  removed. 
Let  all  those  who  employ  labor  take  pains  to  ascertain  the  merits 
of  the  person  they  employ,  and  pay  him  according  to  his  worth ; 
and  let  young  men  who  are  imperfectly  instructed,  instead  of  claim- 
ing the  wages  of  a  master- workman,  apprentice  themselves  to  some 
person  who  is  able  and  willing  to  instruct  them. 

There  is  another  view  of  the  subject  which  remains  to  be  con- 
sidered. Our  young  mechanics  are  not  fully  aware  of  the  advan- 
tages they  would  derive  from  a  knowledge  of  the  science  or  theory 
of  their  art.  The  most  ingenious  carpenter  in  the  world,  who  does 
not  understand  the  elements  of  geometry  and  those  branches  of 
mathematics  which  are  applicable  to  architecture,  and  who  is  also 
ignorant  of  draughting  and  perspective,  can  never  be  anything 
more  than  a  skilful  builder.  He  cannot  design,  nor  draw,  nor 
calculate  sufficiently  well  those  matters  which  are  the  necessary 
preliminaries  of  first-class  buildings  of  every  description.  He  is 
simply  a  skilful  operative.  All  that  is  to  be  done  with  hands  and 
tools,  without  the  aid  of  science,  he  may  execute  in  an  admirable 
manner ;   but  he  cannot  be  the  architect  of  his  own  work. 

Many  of  our  distinguished  architects  are  incapable  of  handling 
tools.  In  vain  would  we  attempt  to  cast  ridicule  upon  them  for 
their  want  of  mechanical  practice.  If  the  mechanic  is  ignorant  of 
science,  every  wise  man  would  apply  to  one  who  is  simply  an 
architect  to  obtain  his  plans  and  specifications.  If  our  practical 
mechanics  regard  this  as  an  evil,  the  remedy  is  in  their  own  hands ; 
and  it  must  consist  in  learning  by  diligent  study  that  science  which 
the  architect  understands,  and  which  they  have  neglected  and  per- 
haps despised.     The  public  would  always  prefer  one,  if  he  could 


HINTS   ON   MECHANICS.  35 

I 

be  easily  obtained,  to  plan  his  work,  who  is  both  a  man  of  science 
and  practical  skill,  to  one  who  is  deficient  in  the  latter  qualification. 
But  as  long  as  those  who  work  with  their  hands  have  uneducated 
minds,  it  is  absurd  to  ridicule  the  public  for  employing  the  closeted 
architect,  whose  only  tools  are  the  instruments  of  the  draughtsman, 
and  whose  only  education  is  that  which  is  learned  from  books. 


DESIGN,  No.   IV. 


PLAN. 


\V\V>\W>^^!^ 


/OL-<P 

5-S 

•.,,. 

/£-/& 

c 

a 

[ 

s 

K 

f 

1 

;r_ 

h 

y/T-/^ 

I 

/S-AS 

S,  Lmug  Room.    K,  Kitchen.    B,  Bed  Boom.    C,  Cellar. 


\ 


DESIGN   NO.   IV. 


A  •PLAIN     SIDE-HILL     COTTAGE. 


This  design  is  for  a  plain,  neat  cottage,  located  on  the  side  of 
a  hill  rising  from  the  public  road.  By  depositing  in  front  of  the 
building  the  earth  removed  from  the  hill  to  make  place  for  it,  con- 
venient access  to  and  from  the  premises  for  all  necessary  purposes 
is  obtained.  The  house  is  two  stories  in  the  front  and  on  one  end, 
and  one  story  in  the  rear.  There  are  three  rooms,  a  pantry,  and 
cellar-room  on  the  first  floor;  on  the  second  floor  are  four  cham- 
bers and  two  closets  for  clothes ;   two  chambers  in  the  attic. 

There  should  be  two  wings,  or  bank  walls,  as  indicated  on  the 
Plan,  to  support  the  banks.  As  there  is  no  cellar  under  the 
house,  the  windows  in  the  under-pinning  are  necessary  to  secure 
the  proper  ventilation. 

The  cost  of  a  cottage  built  after  this  design  and  plan  would 
not  exceed  nine  hundred  dollars. 

39 


V. 

STYLE  OF  THE  HOUSE. 

The  style  of  one's  dwelling-house  is  of  great  importance  to  the 
comfort,  convenience,  and  satisfaction  of  the  proprietor.  Not  that 
it  is  a  matter  of  any  consequence  whether  it  is  constructed  after 
an  American  or  a  foreign  model,  provided  it  escapes  the  look  of 
affectation  on  the  one  hand  and  of  negligence  on  the  other.  We 
have  read  of  the  necessity  of  paying  regard  to  "the  beautiful"  in 
the  design  and  embellishment  of  a  dwelling-house,  until  it  has 
become  a  wearisome  word;  and  we  feel  persuaded  that  a  great 
deal  of  mischief  has  been  done,  by  urging  upon  the  public  the 
value  of  a  beautiful  style  of  building.  It  has  led  men  to  overlook 
the  principle  of  utility  and  convenience,  and  to  run  after  designs 
that  shall  gratify  their  ambition  to  be  considered  men  of  taste.  It 
has  led  to  a  great  deal  of  foolish  ostentation  of  finery  in  architec- 
ture, rather  than  to  a  general  consideration  of  the  true  principles 
of  the  art.  Yet  we  would  assert,  that  the  plainer  apy  style  of 
building,  if  its  forms  are  artistic  and  proportional,  and  all  harsh 
outlines  are  properly  relieved,  the  more  pleasing  it  is  to  the  public 
eye.  Anything  about  a  house,  especially  its  exterior,  that  savors 
of  dandyism  or  ostentation,  is  offensive  to  the  generality  of  men, 
even  to  those  who  would  build  in  just  such  style  for  themselves. 
The  only  points  of  beauty  that  are  requisite  are  those  which  arise 
from  neatness  of  finish,  architectural  propriety,  and  such  forms  and 
colors  in  general  as  are  permanently  pleasing  and  satisfactory  to 
the  eye. 

More  of  the  beauty  of  a  house  depends  on  its  exterior  indication 
of  the  comforts  and  conveniences  within,  than  the  generality  of 
mankind  would  at  first  be  willing  to  admit.  This  is  one  reason 
why  a  house  with  several  wings  and  appendages  commonly  pleases 
the  sight.  In  each  of  these  accompaniments,  if  they  are  not  super- 
fluous, we  see  the  evidence  of  some  additional  interior  accommo- 
dation.     In   a  plain  square  building  this  is  not  so  evident.      The 

40 


STYLE   OF   THE   HOUSE.  41 

mind  is  obliged  to  make  an  effort  to  bring  before  it  all  those  inte- 
rior conveniences  of  which  there  is  no  positive  exterior  manifestation. 
Many  persons  overlook  this  principle,  which  is  really  the  foundation 
of  the  most  of  what  we  call  the  beauty  of  a  house.  Hence,  when 
they  undertake  to  beautify  a  dwelling,  instead  of  regarding  this 
great  principle  they  set  about  adorning  it  as  a  lady  adorns  herself 
for  the  opera.  They  place  upon  it  the  evidences,  often  the  false 
evidences,  of  the  wealth  of  the  proprietor,  as  the  fine  lady  dresses 
herself  with  the  evidences,  true  or  false,  of  the  wealth  of  her  hus- 
band or  her  father.  The  dress  of  the  lady  does  not  indicate 
whether  she  belongs  to  a  rude  or  a  refined  class  of  society ;  neither 
does  the  outside  appearance  of  the  house  indicate  the  real  circum- 
stances of  the  proprietor.  The  highly  dressed  lady  may  be  the 
daughter  of  a  hod-carrier,  and  the  wife  of  a  common  laborer.  The 
richly  ornamented  house  may  be  the  abode  of  a  man  who  has 
neither  wealth  nor  cultivation. 

It  is  an  established  principle  that  a  house  which  is  made  of 
cheap  materials  should  not  be  furnished  with  costly  decorations. 
It  may  be  contended,  that  if  the  embellishments  are  only  the  imi- 
tations of  costly  ornaments  they  might  be  admissible,  as  involving 
no  extraordinary  expense.  The  objection  to  be  urged  against  these 
imitations  of  costly  ornaments  is,  that  they  savor  of  affectation  and 
pretence.  They  excite  in  the  spectator  a  feeling  of  the  ludicrous, 
and  in  the  same  ratio  disparage  his  opinion  of  the  proprietor.  The 
owner  of  a  place  is  very  prone  to  admire  its  showiness,  though  it 
arise  from  counterfeit  ornaments.  But  when  we  are  looking  at 
other  men's  houses,  we  generally  admire  the  expression  of  humility. 
To  illustrate  our  meaning  more  clearly,  we  would  say,  that  what- 
ever may  be  the  cost  or  the  magnificence  of  a  building,  it  pleases 
us  in  exact  proportion  as  it  seems  to  be  wanting  in  the  evidences 
of  pride  or  pretence.  This  remark  will  apply  equally  well  to  the 
cottage  of  a  fisherman  and  the  mansion  of  a  prince. 

The  style  of  the  dwelling-houses  in  this  country  in  particular, 
should  be  marked  by  plainness  and  simplicity.  We  are  all  politi- 
cally equal,  and  are  more  remarkable  than  the  people  of  any 
other  nation  for  our  jealousy  of  a  superior.  Although  we  exceed 
other  people  in  the  ostentatious  style  of  our  private  dwellings,  we 
ought,  more  than  any  other  people  in  the  world,  to  adapt  the  style 


42  STYLE    OF    THE    HOUSE. 

of  our  houses  to  the  republican  simplicity  of  our  institutions.  Let 
the  decorations  of  a  house  be  made  as  pleasing  as  they  can  be 
made  to  the  eye,  without  extraneous  ornaments,  that  it  may  seem 
to  be  the  abode  of  a  sensible  and  humble  minded  republican, 
instead  of  an  upstart  and  a  coxcomb.  It  is  this  expression  of 
humility  that  causes  the  pleasure  we  feel  when  we  look  upcn  those 
plain  one-story  houses,  which  are  so  common  in  our  earliest  settle- 
ments. We  know  them  to  be  the  abodes  of  honest  laboring  people, 
and  we  admire  the  adaptation  of  their  dwellings  to  their  humble 
wants. 

For  a  farm-house,  the  public  like  to  see  a  more  ample  building, 
containing  more  accommodations  and  a  greater  number  of  rooms; 
but  in  this  too,  they  are  pleased  with  the  same  expression  of  humil- 
ity ;  because  they  know  the  farmer  likewise  to  be  a  plain  citizen  and 
not  a  prince.  The  house  of  the  farmer  should  differ  from  that  of  the 
cotter,  not  in  being  less  plain,  but  more  spacious.  We  do  not  under- 
stand the  correctness  of  the  principle  asserted  by  some  of  our  con- 
temporaries, which  maintains  that  costly  decorations  are  more  suitable 
to  a  large  than  to  a  small  house.  The  style  and  the  quantity  of  em- 
bellishment should  depend  on  the  character  and  not  on  the  size  of  a 
building.  Ornament  would  certainly  be  more  appropriately  applied 
to  a  martin-house,  or  a  garden-seat,  than  to  a  barn. 

Some  persons  might  contend  that  a  villa  should  form  an  exception 
to  the  preceding  remarks.  But  in  truth  the  same  principles  of  taste 
ought  to  be  applied  to  all  kinds  of  dwelling-houses.  A  villa  may  be 
the  residence  of  a  man  of  unbounded  wealth,  who  if  he  is  vain  of 
his  possessions,  may  be  pleased  to  publish  the  evidence  of  his  weak- 
ness on  the  outside  of  his  dwelling-house.  A  villa  may  be  built 
in  a  higher  style  of  finish  than  a  farmhouse,  but  it  requires  no  devia- 
tion from  simplicity;  and  any  ornamentation  beyond  what  is  required 
by  the  standard  rules  of  architectural  relief,  is  so  much  that  is  oppres- 
ive  to  the  eye  of  a  man  of  intelligent  observation.  Any  more  than 
this  injures  the  repose  of  the  building,  and  hurts  what  may  be  called 
its  moral  expression,  by  suggesting  sinister  ideas  of  the  proprietor's 
character.  To  test  the  truth  of  these  remarks,  let  any  one  take  a 
stroll  around  the  country,  and  carefully  analyse  his  feelings  as  they 
are  affected  by  viewing  these  different  styles  of  house-building.  lie 
would  find  that  while  a  neat  and  plain  house,  that  is  indicative  of 


STYLE   OF   THE   HOUSE.  43 

comfort,  convenience,  and  simplicity  of  habits  on  the  part  of  the 
occupants,  awakened  a  feeling  of  benevolent  sympathy,  he  never 
looks  upon  an  ostentatious  and  profusely  ornamented  house,  whether 
its  probable  cost  be  one  thousand  or  one  hundred  thousand  dollars, 
without  some  contempt  for  the  proprietor. 

In  the  course  of  a  journey  which  we  have  frequently  made  within 
a  few  years  past,  our  attention  has  been  repeatedly  attracted  to  a 
small  cottage,  built  in  plain  old-fashioned  style,  with  a  gambrel  roof. 
There  was  something  in  the  style  of  the  house  and  of  the  grounds 
belonging  to  it  —  a  look  of  comfort,  and  convenience,  and  an  air  of 
freedom  and  simplicity,  that  charmed  every  beholder.  A  short  time 
since  this  neat  old-fashioned  cottage  was  modernised.  To  use  com- 
mon language,  instead  of  the  terms  of  art,  it  was  new  roofed  with  a 
projecting  roof,  and  fillagreed  all  over.  Perhaps  the  old  man  who 
built  it  had  died,  and  his  son,  wishing  to  be  considered  a  man  of 
taste,  had  resolved  to  beautify  it.  By  so  doing  he  has  destroyed  all 
its  charms.  The  ornaments  heaped  upon  it  have  made  it  look  like 
other  silly  houses  that  have  been  lately  put  up  as  specimens  of  the 
u  beautiful."  In  its  former  condition,  when  it  was  so  greatly  admired, 
there  was  not  a  decorative  ornament  on  the  outside  of  it ;  yet  it  was 
pleasing  to  every  eye,  in  its  simplicity  in  its  proportions,  and  in  its 
evident  adaptedness  to  comfort  and  convenience.  A  few  rosebushes, 
a  single  lilac-tree,  and  a  few  other  trees  and  shrubs,  that  were  evi- 
dently planted  for  the  love  of  the  objects  themselves  and  not  for  dis- 
play, were  more  beautiful  to  behold  than  the  most  costly  exhibition 
of  studiously  arranged  shrubbery  and  flowers. 

All  these  had  been  removed ;  and  that  spurious  art  which  has  been 
named  "landscape  gardening,"  has  been  at  work  and  spoiled  the 
whole  charm  of  the  grounds.  The  proprietor  having  been  affected 
with  that  modern  species  of  lunacy,  called  a  "love  of  the  beautiful," 
has  ruined  one  of  the  most  charming  little  places  we  ever  beheld. 
At  present  we  look  upon  the  house  and  its  "  surroundings  "  with  the 
same  feelings  with  which  we  look  upon  a  prettily  ornamented  martin- 
house,  and  we  are  tempted  to  exclaim  with  Wordsworth, 

"  That  way  look,  my  Infant,  lo  ! 
What  a  pretty  baby  show  !  " 


DESIGN,  No.  V. 


PLAN. 


A,  Wood  Room.    B,  Kitchen.    C,  Store  Closet.     D,  Living  Room. 


DESIGN   NO.   V. 

A     NEAT     DWELLING-HOUSE     FOR     TWO     FAMILIES.  • 

This  is  a  design  for  a  plain  and  neat  residence  which  will 
accommodate  two  small  families,  or  one  large  one.  It  contains 
four  square  rooms  on  the  first  floor,  besides  a  wood-room  and  four 
closets.  There  are  four  large  sleeping  rooms  on  the  second  floor, 
and  two  in  the  attic,  and  there  is  a  store-room  in  the  centre. 

This  is  a  very  suitable  house  for  a  factory  village,  each  half 
being  adapted  to  the  accommodation  of  eight  persons.  Double 
tenements  of  this  kind  are  greatly  preferable  to  long  blocks,  which 
are  not  only  unpleasant  habitations,  but  also  too  much  crowded 
for  health  or  neatness.  Such  blocks  are  necessary  in  a  large  city ; 
but  in  the  country  there  is  land  enough,  and  speculators  are  inex- 
cusable for  allowing  their  avarice  to  cut  up  a  village  into  nar- 
row house-lots. 

The  design  here  presented  has  windows  on  all  sides  to  admit 
light  and  air,  while  the  interior  tenements  of  a  long  block  can 
have  windows  only  in  front  and  back.  The  first  plan  is  the  more 
conducive  to  health,  for  light  as  well  as  air  is  necessary  for  the 
full  enjoyment  of  this  blessing.  Square  houses  are  the  most  eco- 
nomical of  all  shapes  of  building,  as  more  space  can  be  included 
within  the  walls  of  a  cube  than  within  the  walls  of  a  house  of 
any  other  shape.  An  LoraT  house  cannot  have  so  much  room 
under  the  same  amount  of  roof.  A  house  of  this  description 
should  be  located  on  a  lot  of  land  containing  at  least  one  hundred 
feet  front,  and  should  be  placed  forty  feet  from  the  road  line. 


ESTIMATE   FOR  DESIGN  NO.   V. 

744  feet  of  square  timber,  7x7  and  4x7,  $15.00  per  M.  .         $11.16 

3,000     "     "   deep  joist,  2X7,                             15.00         "  .       45.00 

1,800     "      «    studding,  3x4  and  2X4,               15.00         "  .            27.00 


48 


CARPENTER'S  SPECIFICATIONS  —  DESIGN  NO.  V. 


16  M.  shaved  cedar  shingles,  nails  and  laying,  $5.50  per  M.   .  88.00 

550  feet  of  rafters,  2X6, 9.00 

12,000     "      "   common  boards,  $15.00  per  M 180.00 

1,400  clapboards,  laid,  $6  per  hundred,      .....  84.00 

145  feet  jut  finish  and  gutter,  35  cents  per  foot,         .         .         .  50.75 

18  windows,  finished  both  sides,  with  springs,         .          ,         .  63.00 

•    24  doors,  trimmed  and  finished  both  sides,         ....  85.00 

2  chimneys,  built  of  brick,  16x20,  from  cellar,  .         .         .  35.00 

600  lbs.  nails,  Q  and  6  cents  per  lb., 29.00 

600  yards  lathing  and  plastering,  18  cents  per  yard,       .         .  108.00 

Framing,  raising,  and  boarding, 80.00 

Laying  floors,  base,  and  closets, 70.00 

Finish  for  corners,  front  and  back  door,           .....  25.00 

Painting  and  papering,          ........  60.00 

Cellar,  well,  pumps,  and  fixtures, 160.00 

$1,209.91 


CARPENTER'S   SPECIFICATIONS. 

Stories.  —  Cellar  to  be  7  feet  in  the  clear.  First  story  8^  feet  in  the 
clear ;  second  story,  or  chambers,  7^-  feet  in  the  clear ;  one  foot  framing 
above  the  attic  floor. 

Timber.  —  The  sill,  7x7,  and  cross  timbers  to  each  floor.  Girts  and 
plates,  4x7,  rafters,  2X6,  studs,  3X4  and  2X4;  first  floor  joist,  2x8; 
second  floor,  2x7,  attic,  2x7;  all  to  be  well  framed,  with  5  feet  braces, 
and  hard  wood  pins. 

Roof  —  To  be  covered  with  sound  boards,  and  shingled  with  extra  shaved 
cedar  shingles,  well  laid,  5  inches  to  the  weather. 

"Walls — To  be  covered  with  coarse  boards  well  nailed  and  dried.  All 
the  main  house  to  be  clapboarded  with  extra  No.  1  clapboards,  planed  and 
well  laid.  The  woodsheds  to  be  built  of  good  sound  pine  boards,  jointed 
and  well  matched,  and  the  roof  to  be  cleated  over  the  cracks,  with  small 
grooves  near  the  edges  on  the  top  side  under  the  battens. 

Projection  —  Made  of  the  clear  portion  of  the  best  lumber;  a  gutter 
worked  from  4x5  pine  joist,  well  put  up,  with  3^  inch  wood  conductors. 
Gable  ends  to  be  finished  with  6  inch  projection ;  the  same  on  the  sides. 
Front  door  with  plain  side  facing,  frieze  and  projecting  cap  7  inches ;  small 
side  lights  as  represented  on  the  elevation. 

Windows  and  Frames.  —  The  windows  to  be  glazed  with  10X14  first 


carpenter's  SPECIFICATIONS  —  DESIGN  NO.  V.  49 

quality  German  glass,  12  lights  each;  to  be  well  set  in  linseed  oil  putty; 
lip  sash  li  inches  thick,  of  good  clear  pine.  The  frames  to  be  of  good 
60und  pine,  l£  inches  fascia,  wide  cap  to  project  ^  inch ;  2£  inches  plank 
stools ;  cap  to  be  rabbeted  and  made  water-tight.  Springs  in  all  the 
windows. 

Doors  and  Trimmings.  —  Outside  doors  If  inches  thick,  with  raised 
panels  on  both  sides ;  front  door  to  be  3X7  feet,  hung  with  4  inch  loose 
butts ;  mineral  knob  and  mortice  lock.  Inside  doors,  6  feet  8  by  2  feet  6 ; 
1|  inches  thick;  4  panelled,  raised  on  both  sides,  hung  with  3  inch  loose 
butts  and  thumb  latches;  doors  all  to  be  well  made,  and  kiln  dried  before 
glued  up.     Hard  wood  sills. 

Stairs.  —  Cellar  stairs,  straight  run,  plank  stringers,  and  hard  pine  steps. 
First  and  second  nights  between  partition,  with  plain  base  and  hard  pine 
steps,  with  raisers  and  one  side  rail. 

Floors.  —  All  the  floors  to  be  made  of  pine  cr  spruce  narrow  boards, 
planed,  thoroughly  seasoned  before  laid,  and  well  nailed  with  lOd  floor  nails. 

Lathing  and  Plastering.  —  Lathing  to  be  of  good  1|  inch  pine,  free 
from  knots,  well  put  on,  and  plastered  with  good  lime,  coarse  sand,  and 
hair  mortar,  of  even  thickness,  and  thoroughly  smoothed  throughout. 

Base.  —  A  plain  base,  7  inches  wide,  through  the  whole  house ;  all  closets 
to  be  shelved  in  a  proper  manner. 

Painting.  —  Two  coats  of  pure  white  lead  and  oil  on  all  the  standing 
work  inside  and  out. 

Papering.  —  The  front  rooms,  front  chambers,  and  entry  to  be  papered 
with  25  cent  paper,  well  put  on. 

Chimney.  —  Two  chimneys,  16x20  inches,  to  commence  at  the  bottom 
of  the  cellar  and  extend  4^  feet  above  the  ridge  ;  cast  iron  rings  and  lids 
set  in  the  brick  work,  in  all  the  rooms  in  the  main  house. 

Skylight  —  On  the  centre  of  the  roof,  near  the  ridge,  of  9  lights  8X12 
double  thick  glass,  well  secured  from  leakage  round  the  frame;  with  hinges 
and  rod. 

7 


VI. 

UTILITY  AND  CONVENIENCE. 

In  connection  with  our  remarks  on  style,  let  us  consider  the  import- 
ant points  of  utility  and  convenience.  Every  man  must  be  the  judge 
of  his  own  wants ;  and  it  is  the  height  of  absurdity  to  build  such  a 
house  as  will  probably  suit  neither  his  present  nor  his  future  wants. 
Let  us  consider  in  general  terms  for  what  purpose  a  dwelling-house 
is  built.  It  is  wanted,  first  of  all,  for  the  dwelling  of  the  owner  and 
his  family,  and,  secondly,  for  the  accommodation  of  friends  whom 
he  may  wish  to  entertain.  For  the  former  purpose  one  should  always 
take  into  consideration  the  present  and  the  probable  future  size  of 
his  family.  If  he  be  a  laboring  man  who  lives  upon  wages,  or  a 
clerk  who  lives  upon  a  salary,  he  is  not  obliged  to  make  room  for 
hired  men.  He  is  obliged  to  accommodate  his  own  family  alone, 
and  he  must  be  the  judge  of  the  style  in  which  he  wishes  to  accom- 
modate them.  Clerks,  journeymen  mechanics,  and  laboring  men  in 
general,  are  the  classes  of  men  who  require  the  smallest  description 
of  dwelling-houses. 

Next  above  these  are  master  mechanics,  who  besides  their  own 
family  wish  to  lodge  two  or  more  apprentices  or  hired  men.  For 
their  purposes  a  larger  house  is  required,  corresponding  in  size  with  a 
farm-house.  The  majority  of  dwellings  are  of  this  description,  con- 
taining from  eight  to  twelve  rooms.  One  who  has  a  number  of  men 
in  his  service,  whether  he  be  a  farmer  or  a  master  mechanic,  will  find 
a  house  of  two  stories  more  convenient  and  more  economical  than  a 
house  of  one  story.  Houses  of  one  story,  unless  they  occupy  a  very 
broad  area,  are  necessarily  very  limited  in  the  number  and  size  of 
their  rooms,  and  are  calculated  only  for  a  small  family.  Well-lighted 
chambers  cannot  be  built  in  houses  of  one  story,  without  incurring 
nearly  as  much  expense  in  the  multiplication  of  angles  in  the  roof 
as  would  be  required  to  build  an  additional  story.  Small  houses 
may  be  built  of  one  story,  but  large  houses  ought  always  to  contain 
two  or  more. 

50 


UTILITY   AND   CONVENIENCE.  51 

In  several  points  of  utility  and  convenience,  it  may  often  happen 
that  a  house  of  several  external  parts  may  be  preferable  to  a  cube ; 
but  in  mathematical  construction  a  cube  is  more  economical  than 
any  other  form  of  building.  It  contains  more  space  within  a  given 
amount  of  exterior  surface  than  one  of  any  other  shape,  and  affords 
an  opportunity  of  equally  lighting  every  room  in  the  house.  If  it  be 
placed  diagonally  with  the  four  principal  points  of  the  compass,  the 
sun  will  shine  into  every  window  during  some  part  of  the  day.  In 
an  irregular  house  one  wing  or  appendage  often  intercepts  the  sun- 
light that  shines  in  the  direction  of  the  windows  in  another  part.  It 
may  be  stated,  therefore,  as  a  general  rule  of  economy  in  building, 
that  we  should  approach  as  near  as  possible  to  the  form  of  a  cube 
consistently  with  the  accommodations  which  are  wanted. 

It  may  have  been  observed  that  our  contemporaries  generally  build 
smaller  houses  than  men  of  the  same  occupation  built  fifty  or  a  hun- 
dred years  ago.  In  times  past,  when  the  country  was  more  thinly 
settled,  families  were  larger,  on  the  average,  than  they  are  at  the  pres- 
ent day.  A  master  workman  had  a  greater  number  of  apprentices, 
and  boarded  his  hired  men  in  his  own  family  more  generally  than  is 
usual  at  this  day.  Now,  men  who  consult  their  own  convenience 
and  economy  build  either  small  or  middle-sized  houses,  and  large 
houses  in  the  country  are  built  chiefly  for  the  purpose  of  ostentation. 
The  modern  builder  takes  into  consideration  the  fact  that  he  wants 
a  house  only  for  himself,  and  not  for  his  children,  unless  he  be  the 
owner  of  a  large  farm  or  estate.  .  He  who  builds  on  a  small  lot  in 
the  centre  of  a  town  or  village,  does  not  expect  that  it  will  remain, 
after  his  death,  in  the  possession  of  his  heirs.  He  considers,  likewise, 
that  on  account  of  the  rise  in  the  value  of  real  estate,  he  may  find  it 
expedient  to  sell  his  house  in  a  few  years  after  it  is  built,  and  buy  an- 
other in  a  less  expensive  location.  He  builds,  therefore,  on  a  cheaper 
scale  than  he  would  do  if  he  were  sure  of  occupying  it  during  hia 
lifetime,  or  of  transmitting  it,  like  an  old  homestead,  to  his  children. 
Under  such  circumstances,  and  with  a  view  only  to  their  present  ac- 
commodation, do  the  majority  of  our  citizens  in  the  heart  of  a  rising 
village  build  their  dwelling-houses. 

It  is  important  to  consider  not  only  the  number  and  character  of 
one's  present  wants,  but  the  future  disposal  which  will  probably  be 
made  of  the  house.     If  there  is  reason  to  believe  that  it  is  to  be  a 


52  UTILITY   AND   CONVENIENCE. 

life-residence  it  will  warrant  a  greater  expense  to  be  laid  out  upon  it, 
than  if  it  is  likely  to  be  sold  or  removed  in  the  course  of  a  few  years. 
In  that  case  we  should  bear  in  mind  the  fact  that  a  cheap  house,  if 
well  constructed,,  is  more  likely  to  be  sold  for  its  cost  than  an  expen- 
sive one.  A  house  that  cost  fifteen  or  twenty  hundred  dollars  may 
find  a  purchaser  at  the  price  of  its  original  cost,  after  it  has  been  oc- 
cupied several  years ;  one  that  cost  ten  thousand  would  be  likely  to 
bring  no  more  than  two  thirds  of  its  original  cost  if  there  has  been  no 
increase  in  the  value  of  real  estate  in  its  locality. 

There  is  another  principle  that  ought  never  to  be  overlooked. 
A  house  that  is  originally  well  constructed  does  not  depreciate  in 
value  so  fast  as  one  that  is  ill  constructed ;  and  a  well  built  plain 
house  will  not  depreciate  so  much  as  an  equally  well  built  house 
embellished  with  costly  decorations.  When  the  original  proprietor 
is  obliged  to  sell  his  house,  the  buyer  commonly  refuses  to  pay 
anything  for  the  ornaments  which  were  originally  lavished  upon  it. 
He  regards  the  general  beauty  of  the  house,  its  convenience,  its 
comfortable  aspect,  and  its  adaptation  to  his  own  peculiar  wants 
and  circumstances.  Conveniences  never  lose  their  original  value. 
Ornaments  lose  nearly  all  their  original  value,  unless  they  were  of 
a  substantial  character.  The  worst  of  all  houses,  on  account  of 
their  tendency  to  depreciate,  are  those  which  are  imperfectly  con- 
structed of  cheap  materials,  and  with  a  great  quantity  of  expensive 
ornamentation.  Strange  as  it  may  seem,  there  are  some  men  who 
are  foolish  enough  to  build  such  houses. 

A  convenient  size  and  arrangement  of  rooms  and  closets  must 
always  remain  the  same.  So  long  as  the  conveniences  of  a  pump 
in  the  kitchen,  and  a  cistern  for  soft  water,  and  other  similar 
appurtenances  remain  in  repair,  they  retain  their  original  value. 
But  if  the  builder  of  the  house  had  lavished  money  in  carved 
work  on  a  cheap  material,  in  gables,  and  pinnacles,  and  finicah, 
all  this  must  be  sacrificed  when  he  sells.  Fashion  may  change, 
and  render  a  particular  style  of  embellishment  ridiculous  which 
was  at  first  admired.  But  fashion  cannot  make  a  convenient 
disposition  of  rooms  inconvenient;  it  cannot  make  a  large  room 
small,  nor  render  anything  useless,  which  is  necessary  to  the  natural 
and  permanent  wants  of  a  human  family. 

Let  every  man,  therefore,  who  is  building  either  for  his  lifetime, 


UTILITY   AND    CONVENIENCE.  53 

or  only  for  his  present  accommodation,  bear  in  mind  that  utility 
and  convenience  are  the  imperishable  and  undepreciating  qualities 
of  a  dwelling-house.  Style  is  a  mere  igvis-fatms,  the  beauty  or 
attractiveness  of  which  will  vanish  with  the  fashion  that  created  it 
If  one  wants  a  house  that  will  not  depreciate,  that  will  be  perma- 
nently valuable  either  for  his  own  use,  or  to  be  sold  for  the  use  of 
others,  he  must  never  sacrifice  utility  and  convenience  to  the  foolish 
requisitions  of  that  phantom  which  has  been  called  taste. 


DESIGN,  No.  VI. 


JAS— ^gtg_ 


PLAN. 


A,  Store  Room.    B,  Wood  Room.    C,  China  Closet.    D,  Dining  Room. 
E,  Kitchen.    F,  Front  Entry.    O,  Parlor. 


DESIGN  NO.  VI. 


A     VILLAGE      RESIDENCE. 


In  the  design  given  in  this  number,  it  will  be  noticed  that  the 
ground-plan  is  long  and  narrow.  Such  a  plan  is  necessary  when 
the  building  lot  is  too  narrow  to  accommodate  a  square  house. 
Some  little  variations  can  be  made  in  the  rooms,  to  suit  the  loca- 
tion, by  changing  the  places  of  the  sitting-room  and  kitchen.  The 
chambers  in  this  case  will  be  nearly  the  same,  unless  the  front  is 
divided  into  two,  9^  by  12  feet  each.  A  small  chamber  might  be 
finished  in  the  attic,  at  each  end. 

This  house  might  be  conveniently  located  on  a  fifty  feet  front, 
and  have  a  carriage-way  on  one  side,  with  trees  on  the  border. 
If  the  lot  be  sufficiently  large  for  fruit  trees  and  a  vegetable  garden, 
the  trees  would  be  best  arranged  around  the  outside,  thus  leaving 
an  open  space  in  the  centre  for  cultivation. 


ESTIMATE  FOR  DESIGN  NO.  VI. 


3,900  feet  square  timber, 


2,600 

2.000 

750 

13,500 

1,500 


deep  joist,  2x8  and  2x7, 
studding,  3x4  and  2x4, 
rafters,  2x6, 
common  boards, 
partition  plank, 


$15.00  per  M, 
15.00 
15.00 
15.00 
16.00 
15.00 
1,400  clapboards,  planed  and  laid,  $8  per  hundred, 
231  feet  jut  finish  and  gutters,  40  cents  per  foot, 
14  M.  extra  No.  1  shaved  cedar  shingles,  laid, 
20  windows,  finished  both  sides,  $5.00  each, 
25  doors,  trimmings  and  finish,  $4.25  each,    . 

Framing,  boarding,  &c., 

Finishing  corners,  door  caps,  &c, 
800  lbs.  nails,  4-|  cents  per  lb., 


per  M 


$58.50 
39.00 
30.00 
11.25 

216.00 
22.50 

112.00 
92.40 
84.00 

100.00 

106.25 
80.00 
25.00 

35.00 

5T 


58  CARPENTER'S   SPECIFICATIONS — DESIGN   NO.  VI. 

Hardware, 75.00 

2  marble  chimney  pieces,          ........  33.00 

1  chimney,  with  cast  iron  rings  and  lids,  and  lead  on  roof,          .  25.00 

1  flight  stairs  with  rail,  cellar  and  attic,            .....  45.00 

Finishing  closets,  setting  partitions  and  base,                   .         .         .  75.00 

780  yards  plastering,  20  cents  per  yard, 156.00 

Painting  and  papering,           ........  150.00 

400  feet  of  tinned  roof,  10  cents  per  foot,        .....  40.00 

Cellar,  well,  pumps  and  fixtures,            ......  200.00 


$1810.80 


CARPENTER'S   SPECIFICATIONS. 

Stories.  —  The  first  story,  9  feet,  second,  8^  and  raised  one  foot  above 
the  attic  floor.  Cellar  to  be  7  feet.  There  will  be  two  chambers  of  equal 
size  over  the  parlor  and  front  entry. 

Timber.  —  Corner  posts,  7X7,  centres,  4x8,  sills,  cross  ties,  and  beams, 
7x7,  girts  and  plates,  4x7,  rafters,  2X6,  deep  joist,  2X8,  on  first  and 
second  floors;    2x7  in  attic;    studs,  2X4  and  3X4,  trimmers,  4X8. 

Roof.  —  To  be  covered  with  sound,  coarse  boards,  well  nailed;  shingled 
with  extra  No.  1  shaved  cedar  shingles,  laid  5  inches  to  the  weather,  well 
laid  and  nailed  with  Swedish  nails. 

Projection  and  Gutters.  —  The  projection  15  inches,  with  plain 
bracket,  open  pediment ;  3  inch  tin  gutters  with  wood  hollow  under ;  2  inch 
tin  conductors.  The  lower  part  of  roof  tinned,  the  gutter  formed  on  top  of 
the  roof.  Small  brackets  under  projection.  One  fluted  column  with  plain 
cap  to  piazza. 

Clapboarding.  —  Extra  No.  1  Eastern  pine,  well  planed  and  butted, 
end  put  on  in  the  best  manner ;    laid  4^  inches  to  the  weather. 

"Windows.  —  The  frames  to  have  hard  pine  stiles,  1^  inch  fascia,  wide 
top,  rabbeted  cap,  with  moulding;  hard  wood  beads  and  stops.  The  sash  to 
be  If  inches  thick;  14x20  first  quality  German  glass,  4  lights  each;  attic 
6  lights  each,  side-lights  9X16. 

Doors  and  Trimmings.  —  The  outside  doors,  If  inches  thick,  4  panels, 
moulded  on  both  sides,  trimmed  with  mortice  lock  worth  75  cents,  solid  flint 
glass  knobs,  with  plated  trimmings,  and  hinged  with  4^  inch  loose  butts. 
The  inside  doors,  1^  inches  thick,  4  panels,  moulded  on  both  sides;  6  feet  10 
inches  by  2  feet  8  inches;   all  the  doors  to  be  thoroughly  kiln-dried  before 


carpenter's  SPECIFICATIONS  —  DESIGN  NO.  VI.  59 

glued  up.  Trimmed  with  mortice  locks,  mineral  knobs,  and  hinged  with  3^ 
inch  loose  butts. 

Stairs.  —  The  cellar  stairs  to  have  plank  stringers  and  hard  pine  steps, 
and  common  raisers,  planed  and  well  put  up.  Front  stairs  with  7  inch 
turned  newel,  2^  inch  worked  rail,  mahogany  or  cherry,  with  1|  inch  turned 
baluster,  one  iron  baluster  in  centre;  hard  pine  1^  inch  steps,  put  up  in  the 
best  manner.     Attic  stairs ;    straight  run,  without  rail,  with  hard  pine  steps. 

Floors.  —  The  floors  to  be  laid  of  thoroughly  seasoned  pine  or  spruce  \ 
inch  lumber.  All  the  under  floors  to  be  laid  with  level  surface  of  sound 
dry  lumber,  well  nailed.  The  kitchen  floor  laid  with  Southern  hard  pine. 
Hardwood  thresholds  to  all  the  doors. 

Base  and  Closets.  —  Plinth  and  base  mould  in  all  the  principal  rooms 
and  entries ;  plain  bevel  in  small  rooms  and  closets.  The  closets  to  be  fin- 
ished and  shelved  in  the  best  manner. 

Lathing  and  Plastering.  —  To  be  lathed  with  the  best  pine,  in  a 
workman-like  manner,  and  plastered  with  good  lime,  coarse  sand,  and  hair 
mortar,  one  coat,  and  a  skim-coat  finished  in  the  best  manner. 

Chimneys  and  Stone  Work.  —  There  is  to  be  one  chimney,  2  feet  by 
20  inches,  to  commence  on  the  bottom  of  the  cellar  and  extend  4^  feet 
above  the  ridge  ;  topped  with  hard  burnt  bricks.  Cast  iron  rings  with  lids 
in  each  room.  The  parlor  to  be  warmed  by  portable  furnace  in  the  cellar. 
The  cellar  to  be  stoned  with  good  faced  stone,  6  feet  high ;  long,  flat  stones 
for  the  top  course ;  good  split  underpinning,  20  inches  wide,  good  length,  7 
inches  thick;  sill  edged,  headed,  and  well  set;  all  to  be  pointed  with  good 
lime  and  coarse  sand  mortar. 

Painting  and  Papering. — All  the  standing  work,  common,  to  be  painted 
inside  and  out  with  two  coats  of  pure  white  lead  and  linseed  oil.  Paper 
for  parlor,  sitting  room  and  front  entry,  25  cents  per  roll,  with  border  to 
match ;   the  other  rooms,  15  cents  per  roll,  and  well  put  on. 


VII. 

CHOICE  OP  A  SITUATION. 

In  choosing  a  site  for  a  dwelling-house,  one  should  never  omit  to 
regard,  as  of  primary  importance,  its  healthfulness  and  its  comfortable 
exposure.  Elevated  sites  are  not  always  the  most  healthy,  nor  are 
valleys  invariably  less  exposed  to  winds  than  high  places.  A  dry 
tract  in  a  sheltered  valley  is  usually  healthy,  while  one  that  is  cold 
and  damp,  how  great  soever  its  elevation,  is  always  unhealthy.  It 
may  be  considered  an  axiom,  that  a  dry  situation  is  in  every  country 
preferable  to  a  damp  one,  being  less  exposed  to  pestilential  vapors  in 
a  warm  climate,  and  to  the  predisposing  causes  of  pulmonary  com- 
plaints in  a  cold  climate.  A  large  proportion  of  the  coughs  and  ca- 
tarrhs to  which  our  people  are  subject  might  be  avoided,  if  our  dwell- 
ing-houses were  placed  upon  dry  and  protected  situations.  When  it 
is  not  in  the  power  of  the  proprietor  to  choose  such  a  site,  he  should 
obviate  the  evils  arising  from  a  damp  soil  by  a  thorough  system  of 
drainage.  If  his  pecuniary  resources  are  too  limited  for  the  expense 
that  would  attend  it,  he  would  be  wise  to  finish  the  interior  in 
a  plainer  style,  and  use  the  money  thus  saved  for  his  draining  oper- 
ations. 

The  dryness  of  any  tract  depends  more  on  the  character  of  the 
soil  and  the  subsoil,  than  upon  its  elevation.  A  subsoil  of  clay  and 
a  foundation  of  rock  a  little  beneath  the  soil,  are  both  unfavorable  in 
this  respect.  Levels  and  slopes  of  either  description  are  commonly 
wet  and  springy.  Those  swells  of  land  which  are  termed  by  geolo- 
gists moraines,  are  mostly  free  from  springs  and  superabundant  mois- 
ture, because  they  consist  (rf  pebbles,  gravel,  and  loam.  All  these 
circumstances  affect  our  comfort  and  convenience  no  less  than  our 
health.  Mud  is  abundant  in  wet  weather  around  a  house  which  is 
placed  on  a  clay  foundation,  unless  it  be  under-drained  and  covered 
with  gravel ;  and  the  most  disagreeable  dust  in  dry  weather  is  pro- 
duced by  clay. 

There  are  other  considerations  worthy  of  particular  notice.     No 

oO 


CHOICE   OP  A   SITUATION.  61 

little  circumstance  puts  the  female  members  of  a  well  ordered  house- 
hold so  greatly  out  of  humor,  as  the  bringing  into  the  house  the  mud 
from  the  streets  and  enclosures.  When,  therefore,  the  soil  and  the 
subsoil  are  both  of  clay,  they  ought  to  be  covered  with  eight  or  ten 
inches  of  good  gravel,  and  subjected  to  complete  under-drainage. 
The  children  of  a  family  have  better  advantages  for  their  out-of-door 
tasks  and  sports  in  a  place  that  has  a  sandy  or  gravelly  foundation, 
natural  or  artificial,  and  they  annoy  the  housekeepers  less  by  bringing 
mud  into  the  house  upon  their  feet.  This  evil  is  not  avoided  by  sim- 
ply raising  the  house  upon  a  terrace,  while  the  grounds  are  left  in 
their  natural  condition  outside  of  the  embankment.  The  best  method 
of  avoiding  mud  and  dampness  is  to  elevate  the  house  if  it  be  placed 
upon  a  flat,  and  build  around  it  a  gravel  slope,  extending  several 
rods  in  all  directions  from  the  house.  The  more  gradual  the  slide 
the  better,  as  a  steep  descent  is  liable  to  be  furrowed  by  the  streams 
that  come  from  showers. 

In  our  climate,  it  is  also  expedient  to  select  a  location  that  is  well 
protected  from  the  cold  winds  by  hills  or  woods  on  the  northern 
boundary,  and  lying  open  to  the  south.  These  conditions  are  not 
always  attainable  in  a  crowded  village,  but  apart  from  the  town  either 
the  hill  or  the  wood  may  commonly  be  found.  Though  in  such  an 
exposure  the  occupants  may  suffer  more  from  the  heat  of  summer,  it 
is  to  be  considered  that  the  latter  is  of  short  duration,  compared  with 
the  long  period  when  we  need  protection  from  chilling  east  winds  and 
northern  blasts.  There  are  other  points  that  deserve  our  attention. 
On  a  general  level  we  may  make  our  calculations  with  considerable 
accuracy  with  respect  to  the  winds ;  but  in  hilly  regions  the  currents 
of  the  atmosphere  are  determined  by  the  relative  position  of  the  hills 
and  valleys.  A  house  may  seem,  in  a  certain  situation,  to  be  well 
protected  by  a  hill  or  a  wood  on  its  northern  boundary,  while  another 
hill  of  a  particular  conformation,  on  the  opposite  side,  may  expose 
the  south  side  of  the  house  to  every  northerly  wind,  by  reverberation. 
These  local  currents  ought  to  be  studied  with  care.  It  is  better  to  be 
exposed  on  an  open  plain,  or  a  solitary  swell  of  land,  to  the  winds 
from  all  points,  than  to  be  exposed  in  a  narrow  valley,  or  gorge,  to  a 
perpetual  current  of  wind  which  is  strengthened  by  position. 

A  good  protection  may  be  obtained  in  an  open  and  level  tract,  in  a 
few  years,  by  planting  a  grove  of  evergreens  on  the  north  side  of  the 


62  CHOICE   OF  A  SITUATION. 

estate ;  and  this  bulwark  is  as  important  for  the  garden  and  orchard 
as  for  the  house.  Some  trees  of  naturally  rapid  growth  should  be 
interspersed  with  the  evergreens,  and  a  high  fence  of  rough  materials 
should  be  erected  to  protect  the  young  plantation  from  the  winds. 
If  a  grove  or  belt  of  trees  already  stands  in  the  proper  situation  on 
one's  estate,  it  would  be  the  height  of  folly  to  neglect  to  take  advan- 
tage of  it,  or  to  cut  it  down  for  the  sake  of  tilling  the  grounds,  which 
could  produce  nothing  so  valuable  as  the  trees  already  standing  upon 
it.  It  is  unwise,  for  any  purpose  whatever,  to  demolish  a  wood  on 
the  north  of  one's  house  or  estate.  A  mere  belt  of  trees  with  a  dense 
undergrowth,  circling  round  one's  estate  on  the  north,  from  east  to 
west,  is  of  incalculable  value ;  and  it  is  surprising  that  so  little  regard 
is  paid  to  its  importance.  People  who  are  able  to  select  the  most  de- 
sirable site  for  a  dwelling-house,  seem  to  forget  that  wood  is  of  any 
value,  except  as  timber,  or  for  ornament,  and  do  not  reflect  on  the 
importance  of  it,  both  for  the  protection  of  their  estate  and  the  shelter 
of  their  domestic  animals. 

Under  the  head  of  location,  position  may  very  properly  be  made 
a  theme  of  discourse;  for  a  house  may  stand  on  an  excellent  site, 
and  yet  be  so  inconveniently  placed  as  to  lose  many  of  its  advan- 
tages. A  house  on  the  slope  of  a  hill  is  liable  to  be  exposed  to 
the  water  that  flows  from  the  summit.  Hence  it  should  not  be 
set  on  a  level,  or  in  a  hollow,  but  on  a  gentle  swell  of  land,  that 
will  cause  the  streams  that  run  from  the  hill  to  flow  round  it. 
Many  of  these  points  which  would  seem  too  obvious  to  n.  ed  men- 
tion, are  frequently  overlooked  or  disregarded,  while  the  proprietor 
squanders  his  money  upon  needless  embellishments  and  ostentatious 
follies. 

A  dwelling-house  ought  to  be  conveniently  accessible  from  the 
street ;  and  it  is  better  to  forego  some  advantages  of  prospect,  than 
to  place  it  so  far  upon  a  declivity  as  to  render  it  difficult  to  be 
reached  either  on  foot  or  in  a  carriage.  Neither  should  a  house  in 
the  country  stand  directly  on  the  roadside ;  it  should  be  placed  far 
enough  from  it  to  escape  the  dust,  without  causing  inconvenience 
to  the  occupants  on  account  of  distance.  The  most  of  our  New 
England  dwellings  stand  too  near  the  street ;  but  it  would  be  un- 
wise to  go  to  the  other  extreme,  and  submit  to  the  inconvenience 
and  expense  of  a  long  drive  from  the  public  road.     Such  an  arrange- 


CHOICE   OF   A   SITUATION.  6 

ment  is  proper  only  for  summer  residences,  which  are  calculated 
only  for  seclusion,  and  for  those  cottages  and  farm-houses  which 
are  necessarily  placed  at  a  considerable  distance  from  the  highway. 

We  may  further  remark,  without  wishing  to  encourage  that  idle 
propensity  that  causes  certain  persons  to  prefer  the  opportunity  of 
seeing  the  objects  in  the  street  to  any  other  circumstance  connected 
with  location,  that  it  is  confessedly,  at  certain  times,  an  agreeable 
and  rat'onal  amusement,  to  look  out  on  this  varied  procession  of 
moving  objects.  In  winter  especially,  after  the  female  members  of 
the  family  have  passed  several  weeks  in  the  seclusion  of  their  home, 
an  occasional  sight  of  other  human  beings  in  the  street  affords  a 
cheerful  recreation.  To  an  invalid,  likewise,  who  is  confined  to  the 
house,  inese  scenes  are  important  trifles  that  may  seriously  affect 
his  spirts ;  and  they  furnish  points  which  are  not  unworthy  of  our 
regard  in  the  choice  of  a  site  for  a  dwelling-house. 

Mr.  Loudon  remarks,  that  a  house  ought  to  stand  with  reference 
to  the  points  of  the  compass,  so  that  the  diagonal  line  of  its  general 
plan  should  point  north  and  south,  and  thus  obtain  the  sun  in  every 
window,  on  some  part  of  every  sunny  day  throughout  the  year.  Its 
corners,  and  not  its  sides,  should  point  directly  east,  west,  north,  and 
south.  After  this,  the  outbuildings  should  be  annexed  to  the  house 
in  such  a  manner,  facing  south,  south-east,  or  south-west,  as  to  pro- 
tect the  enclosures  from  the  winds,  and  reverberate  the  heat  of 
the  sun. 

In  the  majority  of  cases,  it  may  be  supposed  that  the  individual 
who  is  preparing  to  build  a  house  cannot  freely  exercise  his  judg- 
ment in  the  choice  of  a  location.  He  is  obliged  to  select  the  spot 
which  is  the  most  convenient  for  his  business ;  and  the  pecuniary 
circumstances  of  but  few  persons  will  allow  them  to  be  governed 
by  their  preferences.  Still  it  cannot  be  denied  that  at  least  half 
the  proprietors  in  the  community  have  placed  their  houses  on  a 
less  desirable  location  than  they  might  have  selected,  if  they  had 
understood  those  general  principles  which  should  guide  their  judg- 
ment. Land  speculators,  if  they  were  familiar  with  these  general 
principles,  might  render  their  labors  more  profitable  to  the  public, 
as  well  as  to  themselves,  by  avoiding  unhealthy  and  disagreeable 
locations,  and  laying  out  their  streets  and  house-lots  in  the  most 
eligible  part  of  the  township.  • 


64  CHOICE   OF   A   SITUATION. 

We  have  seen  the  principal  part  of  certain  villages  built  upon 
one  of  the  most  disagreeable  sites,  on  account  of  some  errors  of 
judgment  committed  by  the  original  planners  of  the  settlement. 
In  many  instances  of  this  kind  the  village  might  have  been  laid 
out,  at  the  distance  of  half  a  mile,  on  a  more  genial  exposure, 
without  the  sacrifice  of  any  commercial  advantages,  and  the  in- 
habitants would  have  been  favored  with  a  greater  share  of  the 
advantages  of  climate  and  prospect.  In  conclusion,  we  may  re- 
mark, that  in  a  densely  populated  village,  we  must  generally  be 
governed  by  circumstances  which  are  beyond  our  control,  in  the 
choice  of  a  site  for  a  dwelling-house;  but  a  careful  study  of  the 
principles  which  are  the  subject  of  this  essay,  might  be  highly 
advantageous  to  any  one  who  has  the  choice  of  two  different 
situations. 


DESIGN,   No.  VII. 


PLAN. 


A,  Living  Room.    B,  Kitchen.    C,  Store  Room.    D,  Wood  Room.    E,  Parlor. 
F,  Front  Entry. 


DESIGN   NO.    VII. 


A     HOUSE     WITH     ONE     WING. 


This  is  a  suitable  design  for  a  village  or  a  farm  residence.  It 
will  accommodate  a  family  of  fifteen  persons.  There  are  three 
square  rooms  on  the  first  floor,  parlor,  sitting  room,  and  kitchen, 
wood-room,  store-room,  china-closet,  front  entry,  front  and  back 
stairs.  There  are  four  sleeping  rooms  on  the  second  floor,  and 
three  good  attic  chambers.  Double  windows  are  introduced  here 
in  the  parlor  and  sitting  rooms,  as  a  double  window  will  admit 
about  the  same  amount  of  light  as  two  common  windows  with 
twelve'  panes.  There  is  also  by  this  means  a  saving  of  one-fourth 
of  the  expense  of  two  common  windows. 

There  is  but  little  ornament  displayed  in  this  design.  House  lots 
containing  one  hundred  feet  front,  with  this  building  placed  in  the 
centre,  would  leave  thirty-one  and  a  half  feet  on  each  side,  sufficient 
for  a  carriage-way  all  round  the  house. 

Dwelling-houses  should  be  placed  from  seventy-five  to  one  hun- 
dred feet  from  the  public  road  ;  a  carriage-way  on  one  side,  and 
a  foot-path  on  the  other,  would  render  it  convenient  for  all  ordi- 
nary purposes.  Fenced  door-yards  are  neither  convenient  nor 
pleasant  to  the  eye. 


ESTIMATE   FOR  DESIGN  NO.   VII. 

2,784  feet  square  timber,  7X7  and  4x7,  $15.00  per  M.           .  $41.76 

3,250     "     tleep  joist,  2X7  and  2x8,            15.00        "           .         .  48.75 

1,200     "     rafters,  2X6,                                    15.00        «       .         .  18.00 

2,000     "     studding,  3x4  and  2£x4,             15.00        «           .         ,  30.00 

14,000     "     boards,  floors,  and  covering,            16.00        "        .         .  224.00 

14  M.  extra  No.  1  shaved  cedar  shingles,  laid,  $G.50  per  M.  .  91.00 

1,800  feet  partition  plank,  Si 5  per  M 27.00 

1,500  clapboards,  planed  and  laid,  88  per  hundred,        .         .         .  120.00 

67 


68  CARPENTER'S   SPECIFICATIONS  —  DESIGN  NO.  VII. 

Framing,  raising,  and  boarding, 100.00 

168  feet  jut,  with  gutters  and  conductors,  43  cents  per  foot,    .         .  72.24 

Finish  outside  doors  and  corners, 40.00 

19  windows,  finished  in  and  out,  pulleys  for  weights,       .         .         .  120.00 

24  doors,  trimmed,  and  finished  both  sides,  $5  each,    .         .         .  120.00 

3  flights  stairs,  finished, 60.00 

Putting  down  floors,  base,  and  setting  partitions,           .         .         .  85.00 

750  yards  lathing  and  plastering,  20  cents  per  yard,       .         .         .  150.00 

2  chimneys,  with  lead  on  roof,  and  cast  iron  rings,           .         .  55.00 

2  marble  chimney  pieces,      ........  35.00 

800  lbs.  nails,  A\  and  6  cents  per  lb.,  and  hardware,  .         .         .  50.00 

Painting  and  papering, 125.00 

Cellar,  well,  steps,  and  pump,       .         .         .         .         .               '  .  220.00 

$1832.75 


CARPENTER'S   SPECIFICATIONS. 

Stories. —  Cellar  under  the  whole  house,  7  feet  in  the  clear;  first  story, 
9^  feet;  second  story,  8^  feet,  all  in  the  clear;  the  plates  to  be  18  inches 
above  the  attic  floor. 

Timber.  —  The  posts,  7x7,  at  corners,  boxed  out;  the  centre  posts  4x8, 
sills  7x7;  cross  summers  in  each  floor,  6X8,  girts  and  plates  4x7,  trim- 
mers 4X8,  deep  joist  in  first  floor  2x9?  second  and  attic  floors  2x8,  all 
well  cross-bridged  in  each  space.  Rafters  2x6,  with  collar  to  each  pair; 
all  the  studs  to  be  16  inches  from  centres,  3x4  and  2^X4.  All  to  be 
well  framed,  with  5  feet  braces,  and  pinned  with  hard  wood. 

Roof.  —  The  roof  is  to  be  covered  with  sound  boards,  and  shingled  with 
extra  No.  1  shaved  cedar  shingles,  fastened  with  Swedish  nails,  and  laid  4| 
inches  to  the  weather.  A  strip  of  lead  14  inches  wide  to  be  put  in  the 
gutters,  on  the  roof,  3  lbs.  to  the  foot. 

Projection  and  Gutters.  —  Finished  with  clear  sound  pine   according 

to  plans.     Gutters  made  of  stout  tin,  well  soldered,  with  hollow  under ;  with 

2i  inch  tin  conductors. 
J  -to- 

Walls  —  To  be  covered  with  sound,  square-edged  boards,  thoroughly 
nailed.  Extra  No.  1  clapboards,  planed  and  butted ;  to  lap  at  least  1  inch ; 
thoroughly  dried  and  well  nailed  with  5d  nails. 

WINDOWS  and  Frames.  —  The  sash  to  be  1^  inch  thick,  lip  sash,  made 
of  pure  Eastern  pine,  kiln-dried;  first  quality  of  German  glass,  double  thick- 
ness, 10X15,  with  16  lights   to  the   double  windows,  and   12  to  the    single 


CARPENTEE'S   SPECIFICATIONS  —  DESIGN  NO.  VIT.  69 

and  set  in  linseed  oil  putty.  One  Lutheran  window  on  the  back  roof,  and  a 
skylight.  The  frames  to  have  hard  pine  stiles  1^  inch  facing,  wide  top  face 
with  cap  mould ;  the  square  of  the  cap  mould  will  be  set  on  top  the  facing 
and  rabbeted  to  form  a  lip ;  3  inch  stool  piece  well  pitched ;  hard  wood 
parting  bead,  and  inside  stops  screwed  on ;  patent  pullies ;  both  sashes  hung 
with  Aveights  and  sash  fasts. 

Doors  and  Trimmings,  —  Outside  doors,  1|  inch  thick,  3  feet  by  7  feet 
3  inches;  4  paneled,  moulded  on  both  sides,  made  of  best  heart  lumber, 
kiln-dried.  Trimmed  with  mortice  lock  worth  75  cents,  and  solid  flint  glass 
knobs  and  plate  trimmings,  and  4^  inch  loose  butts.  Inside  doors  1^  inch 
thick,  2  feet  8  by  6  feet  10  inches ;  4  paneled,  moulded  on  both  sides,  kiln- 
dried,  of  clear  Eastern  pine.  Trimmed  with  mortice  lock  and  mineral  knobs 
worth  50  cents  each,  and  3^  inch  loose  joint  butts. 

Stairs.  —  The  cellar  stairs  to  have  plank  stringers,  hard  pine  steps, 
planed  and  well  put  up.  Front  -stairs  with  7  inch  turned  mahogany  newel, 
hard  pine  balusters  1J  inch ;  2^  inch  mahogany  worked  rail,  1  iron  baluster 
in  the  centre,  4  inch  framed  newels  in  the  gallery,  with  hard  pine  steps. 
Attic  to  have  hard  pine  steps  and  base,  with  continued  rail  and  newels. 

Floors  —  To  be  laid  with  thoroughly  seasoned  spruce  or  pine  narrow 
boards,  well  nailed  with  lOd  floor  nails;  the  kitchen  laid  with  Southern 
hard  pine ;   hard  wood  thresholds  to  all  the  doors. 

Lathing  and  Plastering.  —  The  best  1^  inch  laths,  free  from  knots, 
good  thickness,  well  put  on.  The  plastering  of  the  best  lime,  coarse  sand, 
and  hair  mortar,  with  skim-coat,  all  to  be  done  in  the  best  manner. 

Chimneys.  —  Two  chimneys  commencing  at  the  bottom  of  the  cellar  and 
extending  5  feet  above  the  ridge;  to  be  16x20  inches,  and  topped  out 
20x24  inches,  with  hard  burned  bricks;  to  be  laid  with  good  bricks  and 
lime  mortar ;   and  well  secured  around  each  with  lead. 

Painting.  —  The  outside  to  have  two  coats  of  pure  white  lead  and  lin- 
seed oiL  The  inside  to  have  two  coats  of  pure  French  zinc  and  linseed  oil 
and  varnished.     The  kitchen  and  front  entry  floors  to  be  oiled  and  varnished. 

Papering.  —  The  parlor,  front  entry,  and  sitting  room  to  have  paper 
worth  37  cents,  with  border  to  match ;  the  remainder  25  cents ;  all  put  on 
in  the  best  manner. 


VIII. 

LIGHT  AND  PROSPECT. 

We  shall  say  but  little  on  prospect,  because  it  is  chiefly  a  matter 
of  taste,  and  not  one  of  the  necessities  of  a  good  situation.  An 
extensive  prospect  is  not  desirable,  because  it  is  apt  to  become 
tiresome  when  it  is  constantly  before  our  eyes :  but  a  pleasant 
view  of  some  agreeable  scene  in  nature  is  almost  indispensable  to 
cheerfulness.  When  we  look  out  of  our  windows  it  is  desirable 
to  see  some  objects  besides  the  street  and  our  neighbors'  houses. 
A  view  of  a  near  or  a  distant  landscape,  a  valley  containing  trees 
and  pasturage,  a  vista  that  affords  a  glimpse  of  a  neighboring 
village,  and  above  all,  a  clear  view  of  the  western  horizon,  allow- 
ing one  to  behold  the  setting  sun,  are  the  charms  of  a  good  pros- 
pect, and  ought  always  to  be  sought.  All  these  circumstances 
are  promotive  of  cheerfulness,  by  affording  the  eyes  something 
agreeable  to  rest  upon  when  tired  of  business,  labor,  or  study. 
They  inspire  contentment,  and  add  a  positive  charm  to  any  situa- 
tion. 

Nothing  is  more  gloomy  than  to  be  surrounded  by  buildings, 
that  not  only  hide  a  view  of  the  landscape,  but  also  shut  out  the 
direct  rays  of  the  sun.  Light  is  even  more  necessary  than  prospect, 
being  essential  to  health  of  body  as  well  as  cheerfulness  of  mind. 
The  occupants  of  a  house  that  is  well  lighted  enjoy  better  health 
than  those  who  live  in  a  gloomy  and  badly  lighted  house.  Eastern 
windows,  unobscured  by  buildings  or  by  trees,  that  admit  the  early 
beams  of  morning,  awake  us  more  cheerfully  from  our  slumbers, 
and  are  favorable  to  early  rising.  Western  windows,  open  to  the 
horizon,  afford  a  view  of  the  sky  at  sunset,  and  promote  a  pleasant 
tranquility  of  mind  at  home,  at  an  hour  when  we  are  generally  at 
leisure.  Few  persons  are  aware  of  the  delightful  and  almost  in- 
dispensable influences  of  a  view  of  sunset.  It  composes  the  mind 
and  spirits  when  vexed  with  care  or  disappointment,  and  affords  a 
more  lively  consciousness  of  freedom. 

70 


LIGHT   AND   PKOSPECT.  71 

With  regard  to  light,  some  observations  have  been  made  to  prove 
that  health  requires  the  admission  of  a  large  supply  of  light;  and, 
also,  that  white  or  light-colored  walls  in  the  interior  of  our  houses 
are  favorable  to  health,  and  dark  colors  in  the  same  situations  are 
unfavorable.  The  common  error  is  to  paint  the  outsides  of  our 
dwelling-houses  too  white,  and  the  interiors  too  dark.  Light-colored 
walls  are  said  to  be  particularly  favorable  to  the  health,  in  school 
rooms  and  in  rooms  which  are  constantly  occupied  by  a  great 
many  individuals.  An  anonymous  writer  on  this  subject  makes 
the  following  remarks  in  regard  to  the  influence  of  colors  upon 
health : — 

"  From  several  years'  observations  in  rooms  of  various  sizes, 
used  as  manufacturing  rooms,  and  occupied  by  females  for  12 
hours  per  day,  I  found  that  the  workers  who  occupied  those  rooms 
which  had  large  windows  with  large  panes  of  glass  in  the  four 
sides  of  the  room,  so  that  the  sun's  rays  penetrated  through  the 
room  during  the  whole  day,  were  much  more  healthy  than  the 
workers  who  occupied  rooms  lighted  from  one  side  only,  or  rooms 
lighted  through  very  small  panes  of  glass.  I  observed  another  very 
singular  fact,  viz.  that  the  workers  who  occupied  one  room  were 
very  cheerful  and  healthy,  while  the  occupiers  of  another  similar 
room,  who  were  employed  on  the  same  kind  of  work,  were  all  in- 
clined to  melancholy,  and  complained  of  pains  in  the  forehead  and 
eyes,  and  were  often  ill  and  unable  to  work.  Upon  examining  the 
rooms  in  question,  I  found  they  were  both  equally  well  ventilated 
and  lighted.  I  could  not  discover  anything  about  the  drainage  of 
the  premises  that  could  affect  the  one  room  more  than  the  other; 
but  I  observed  that  the  room  occupied  by  the  cheerful  workers 
was  wholly  whitewashed,  and  the  room  occupied  by  the  melan- 
choly workers  was  colored  with  yellow  ochre.  I  had  the  yellow 
ochre  all  washed  off,  and  the  walls  and  ceilings  whitewashed. 
The  workers  ever  after  were  more  cheerful  and  healthy.  After 
making  this  discovery,  I  extended  my  observations  to  a  number 
of  smaller  rooms  and  garrets,  and  found,  without  exception,  that 
the  occupiers  of  the  white  rooms  were  much  more  healthy  than 
the  occupiers  of  the  yellow  or  buff-colored  rooms;  and  wherever 
I  succeeded  in  inducing  the  occupiers  of  the  yellow  rooms  to 
change  the  color  for  whitewash,  I  always  found   a   corresponding 


72  LIGHT   AND   PEOSPECT. 

• 

improvement  in  the  health  and  spirits  of  the  occupiers.  From 
these  observations,  I  would  respectfully  drop  a  hint  to  the  au- 
thorities of  schools,  asylums,  and  hospitals,  to  eschew  yellow,  buff, 
or  anything  approaching  to  yellow,  as  the  grand  color  of  the  in- 
terior of  their  buildings.  —  Things  not  generally  appreciated  about 
a  house :  1.  The  benefit  of  thorough  drainage  and  water  supply. 
2.  The  benefit  of  good  heating  and  ventilation.  3.  The  benefit 
of  proper  color." 

A  writer  in  the  Medical  Journal  considers  confinement  from  the 
light  of  heaven  as  a  circumstance  particularly  favorable  to  the  de- 
velopment of  tubercular  diseases,  and  thinks  that  constant  exposure 
to  light  may  act  in  a  measure  as  a  preventive.  The  influence  of 
light  and  darkness  upon  the  health  and  spirits  is  worthy  of  more 
particular  investigation :  but  we  have  already  sufficient  proof  that 
light  colors  are  the  best  for  the  interior  of  a  dwelling-house,  and  that 
blue  is  more  favorable  to  cheerfulness  than  yellow  or  brown. 

The  advantage  of  light  to  the  health  may  be  made  apparent  by 
a  fact  which  is  well  known  to  those  who  have  given  much  attention 
to  the  breeding  of  animals.  It  has  been  repeatedly  remarked  that 
the  quality  of  their  flesh  is  seriously  deteriorated  by  the  confinement 
of  animals  for  any  long  period  in  a  dark  place.  Pigs  that  are  fat- 
tened in  partial  darkness,  under  a  barn  or  a  stable,  though  the 
exclusion  of  light  is  rather  favorable  to  the  rapid  accumulation  of 
fat,  are  found  to  have  flesh  of  an  inferior  quality  to  the  flesh  of 
those  which  are  fattened  in  an  open  pen,  where  they  are  exposed 
to  the  broad  light  of  day.  The  flesh  of  the  former  is  deficient  in 
sweetness  and  in  fineness  of  grain,  though  it  may  look  as  well  as 
the  other.  Light,  which  produces  such  an  effect  on  the  flesh  of 
animals,  cannot  be  otherwise  than  necessary  to  their  health  and 
vigor. 

An  experiment  was  made  several  years  since  by  the  commanding 
general  of  one  of  the  French  armies,  to  ascertain  whether  it  was 
possible  to  obviate  the  evil  of  marching  in  the  daytime,  under  a 
hot  summer  sun,  by  marching  during  the  night  instead  of  the  day. 
A  portion  of  the  army  was  selected  and  ordered  to  march  during 
the  night  the  same  distance  which  was  travelled  by  the  other  por- 
tion of  the  army  in  the  daytime.  The  experiment  was  rendered 
conclusive  by  permitting  the  soldiers  after  their  night's  journey  to 


LIGHT   AND   PROSPECT.  73 

take  their  sleep  a  certain  number  of  hours  by  daylight,  and  to  rest 
from  labor  during  the  remainder  of  the  day.  It  was  found  after 
some  time  had  elapsed,  that  the  soldiers  who  marched  in  the  night 
and  took  their  rest  by  day,  suffered  more  fatigue  and  more  disease 
than  those  who  continued  to  march  in  the  sultry  heat  of  the  day 
and  took  their  rest  by  night.  This  experiment,  however,  is  not  con- 
clusive in  regard  to  the  sanitary  influence  of  light,  since  it  is  well 
known  that  we  walk  with  more  ease  over  an  uneven  surface  when 
we  can  see  the  ground  upon  which  we  place  our  feet,  than  when 
the  darkness  of  night  does  not  allow  us  to  favor  our  steps.  Still 
we  have  no  doubt  that  the  stimulus  of  light  is  favorable  both  to 
health  of  body  and  cheerfulness  of  mind.  In  the  case  of  the  sol- 
diers, light  seems  to  have  been  needful  to  enable  them  to  endure 
their  fatigue,  and  the  absence  of  it  during  their  night  marching 
seems  to  have  been  more  injurious  than  the  excessive  heat  of 
summer  was  to  the  other  portion  of  the  army. 

The  mode  in  which  light  acts  upon  vegetation  is  very  apparent, 
but  not  so  much  so  in  its  effect  upon  the  animal  system.  But 
the  fact  is  not  denied,  that  those  animals  which  are  exposed  to 
the  most  light,  other  circumstances  being  equal,  enjoy  the  most 
health  and  vigor.  This  effect  may  probably  be  traced  to  a  cerebral 
influence,  communicated  to  the  whole  nervous  system  through  the 
optic  nerves.  Everything  that  acts  agreeably  upon  the  nervous 
system  is  promotive  of  health  by  raising  the  animal  spirits,  and 
everything  that  acts  disagreeably  upon  the  nervous  system  is  inju- 
rious to  health  by  depressing  them.  Human  beings  who  are  par- 
ticularly under  the  influence  of  moral  agents,  are  probably  more 
susceptible  than  brute  animals  to  the  benefits  of  light,  and  to  the 
evils  of  its  absence.  Light  renders  the  mind  cheerful ;  cheerfulness 
invigorates  the  nervous  system,  and  thereby  renders  the  muscles 
firmer,  the  action  of  the  heart  more  healthful,  and  improves  the 
tone  of  every  part. 

Any  one  who  reflects  upon  these  facts  will  see  the  importance 

of  a  well-lighted  house.     Every  room  should  be  abundantly  supplied 

with  light  from  the  windows,  and  care  should  be  used  to  prevent  the 

house  from  being  darkened  by  trees  in  close  proximity  to  it.     They 

should  be  planted  at  a  sufficient  distance  to  allow  the  sun  to  rest 

all  day  upon  the  house,  not  only  to  supply  the  inmates  with  light, 
10 


74  LIGHT   AND   PROSPECT. 

but  also  to  keep  it  thoroughly  dry  during  all  dry  weather.  "We 
ought  not  to  abstain  from  giving  that  attention  to  houses  of  a 
public  character,  which  is  required  to  ensure  that  they  are  properly 
supplied  with  light.  School-houses,  in  particular,  should  always  be 
supplied  with  an  abundance  of  light,  and  the  windows  should  be 
furnished  with  white  curtains,  so  that  the  direct  rays  of  the  sun 
may  be  shut  out,  without  darkening  the  room.  Counting-rooms 
are  generally  very  badly  constructed  for  the  admission  of  light ; 
and  this  is  undoubtedly,  in  a  majority  of  cases,  the  cause  of  the 
weak  eyes  with  which  merchants'  clerks  are  apt  to  be  afflicted. 
Finally,  we  would  say  to  those  housekeepers  who  are  addicted  to 
the  habit  of  darkening  their  rooms  by  blinds  and  curtains,  that  it 
is  better  to  fade  their  carpets  than  to  lose  the  bloom  of  their  own 
health. 


D  E  S  I  a  N,     No.    VIII. 


PLAN. 


A,  Wood  Room.    B,  Store  Room.    C,  Kitchen.    D,  China  Closet.    E,  Living  Room 
K,  Parlor.     0,  Front  Entry. 


DESIGN   NO.   VIII. 


A     SHARP-ROOFED     COTTAGE. 


A  house  built  after  this  design  will  afford  all  the  conveniences  re- 
quired for  a  family  of  medium  size  in  numbers ;  the  portico  and  style 
of  the  windows  contribute  to  give  it  a  tasteful  appearance. 

The  ends  of  the  main  house  should  be  finished  in  the  same  style 
as  the  front,  excepting  the  double  window  in  the  parlor  and  in  the 
chamber  over  it.  On  the  first  floor  are  three  large  rooms,  front  entry, 
store-room,  and  china-closet ;  front  and  back  stairs  to  the  second  floor, 
on  which  are  four  chambers,  a  store-room,  and  three  closets  for 
clothes.  Directly  over  the  front  entry  is  a  square  chamber,  lighted 
by  a  large  window  as  represented  on  the  elevation. 

The  Estimate  and  Specifications  under  Design  No.  5  will  apply  to 
this,  with  the  exception  of  the  estimated  cost  of  the  windows ;  which 
in  a  house  built  after  this  design  and  plan  will  be  twice  as  large. 
The  entire  cost  of  the  house  is  estimated  at  two  thousand  dollars. 

77 


IX. 

BUILDING  MATERIALS. 

If  one  designs  to  build  a  house  as  cheaply  as  possible  and  for 
present  use  alone,  especially  if  it  is  to  be  placed  in  a  situation  from 
which  it  is  liable  to  be  removed,  it  is  better  to  use  wood  than  any 
other  material.  Wood  is  the  cheapest  material  for  building  at  the 
present  day,  and  probably  will  be  so  for  several  years  to  come.  This 
will  very  much  depend,  however,  on  the  rapidity  with  which  the 
original  forests  are  cut  down.  They  are  disappearing  with  unex- 
ampled rapidity,  and  another  ten  years  may  render  lumber  scarcer  and 
dearer  than  we  now  deem  possible.  When  this  deplorable  period 
has  arrived,  wood  will  cease  to  be  the  cheapest  building  material,  and 
bricks  and  stone,  or  some  newly  invented  substitute,  will  supply  its 
place.  As  long,  however,  as  wood  continues  to  be  cheaper  than 
brick  and  stone,  it  will  be  preferred  for  country  houses,  because  for 
present  use  it  is  unquestionably  the  most  convenient  building  ma- 
terial. 

There  is  probably  more  comfort  in  a  well  built  wooden  house  than 
in  one  of  any  other  description.  Wood  is,  when  dry,  a  non-conduc- 
tor of  heat,  and  will  if  well  built  keep  out  the  heat  of  summer  and 
cold  of  winter  more  effectually  than  a  building  of  brick  or  stone. 
In  the  early  part  of  summer  the  walls  of  brick  and  stone  houses  re- 
tain a  great  amount  of  cold  imbibed  from  the  temperature  of  the 
late  cold  weather,  and  impart  a  coldness  and  dampness  to  the  rooms 
which  they  enclose.  This  sort  of  coldness  is  unwholesome  in  its 
action  upon  the  system,  because  it  is  invariably  combined  with  damp- 
ness ;  and  we  have  no  doubt  that  the  health  of  many  of  the  inhabi- 
tants of  our  cities  is  seriously  injured  by  this  condition  of  their  houses 
in  the  first  approach  of  warm  weather.  In  the  winter  season  when 
a  mild  spell  of  weather  succeeds  a  cold  one,  the  interior  surface,  as 
well  as  the  exterior  of  the  walls  of  brick  houses,  will  be  found  covered 
with  moisture,  resembling  dew,  or  frost ;  the  ceilings  of  the  rooms, 
unless  they  are  kept  warm  and  dry  by  a  constant  supply  of  heat  from 

78 


BUILDING   MATERIALS.  79 

a  stove  or  a  furnace,  and  the  balustrades  of  the  staircase,  will  also 
be  covered  with  sensible  moisture.  This  effect  is  sometimes  observed 
in  wooden  houses,  but  less  frequently  and  in  a  less  degree.  It  is 
most  evident  in  the  interior  of  brick  houses,  and  shows  that  unless  a 
peculiar  provision  is  made  against  it  in  their  original  construction, 
they  have  a  tendency  to  generate  interior  dampness  and  cold. 

In  autumn  the  brick  and  stone  walls  retain  for  some  days  the  heat 
of  the  past  season,  and  are  at  this  time  warmer  than  wooden  houses. 
But  the  evil  above  alluded  to  may  in  a  great  measure  be  prevented 
by  lining  the  walls  with  some  non-conducting  material.  The  same 
result  may  be  partially  obtained  by  building  hollow  walls  or  by  using 
hollow  bricks.  The  atmospheric  air  in  these  cavities,  being  a  non 
conductor,  prevents  the  interior  division  of  the  wall  from  communi- 
cating with  the  cold  and  dampness  of  the  exterior  division.  A  great 
part  of  the  evil  might  also  be  avoided  by  rejecting  the  use  of  all 
porous  and  imperfectly  burned  bricks,  which  act  like  sponges,  in  ab- 
sorbing the  water  of  every  rain  and  every  dew  that  is  deposited  on 
them.  Chimneys  constructed  of  these  porous  half-burned  bricks  often 
drench  the  rooms  of  the  house  with  water,  and  actually  convey  more 
water  to  the  fireplace  than  would  fall  directly  through  an  opening  in 
the  roof  of  the  same  size,  by  receiving  the  rain  from  the  whole  surface 
of  the  side  which  is  exposed  to  the  wind  during  a  storm.  Another 
evil  of  porous  bricks  is  their  tendency  to  crumble.  After  such  bricks 
are  saturated  with  water,  should  a  severe  cold  supervene  and  suddenly 
freeze  them,  the  ice  occupying  more  space  than  the  water  within 
their  pores  causes  them  to  crack  and  to  crumble,  by  the  operation  of 
the  same  principle  that  causes  a  glass  bottle  to  be  broken  when  filled 
with  water  and  then  frozen.  Hence  it  must  be  evident  to  any  man's 
common  sense,  that  it  is  very  bad  economy  to  use  soft  bricks  in  any 
part  of  a  building  which  will  be  exposed  to  dampness  and  frost. 

The  dampness,  however,  which  is  perceived  on  the  inside  of  a 
brick  or  stone  wall,  is  not  necessarily  occasioned  by  communication 
with  the  dampness  of  the  weather,  or  by  the  absorption  of  moisture. 
The  effect  is  sometimes  meteorological.  The  cold  of  the  external 
atmosphere  being  communicated  to  the  walls,  causes  the  deposition 
of  moisture  by  condensation  from  the  warmer  atmosphere  within. 
On  the  same  principle  moisture  is  condensed  on  the  outside  of  a 
pitcher  of  iced  water  in  summer;  or  the  frost  and  dew  on  the  inside 


80  BUILDING   MATERIALS. 

of  our  window  glass  in  winter.  There  is,  from  this  cause,  a  constant 
condensation  of  moisture  upon  the  inside  of  brick  and  stone  walls, 
when  those  walls  are  colder  than  the  atmosphere  within,  and  so  far  as 
the  moisture  proceeds  from  this  cause,  it  cannot  be  wholly  avoided  by 
the  use  of  solid  bricks  or  stone. 

Many  cheap  substitutes  for  bricks  and  stone  have  been  brought 
into  use  within  a  few  years  *past ;  and,  probably,  science  and  experi- 
ment may  yet  discover  the  art  of  making  walls  of  common  materials 
in  a  very  durable  manner.  The  substance  which,  for  a  cheap  build- 
ing material,  has  acquired  the  most  celebrity,  is  concrete.  This  sub- 
stance is  shovelled  into  the  space  between  two  boards  set  as  wide 
apart  as  the  desired  thickness  of  the  wall.  A  few  inches  of  concrete 
is  first  thrown  in,  followed  by  cobble-stones,  which  are  pressed  into 
the  concrete,  using  as  large  a  quantity  as  the  concrete  will  cement. 
After  this  part  of  the  work  is  completed  the  whole  is  finished  with 
mastic.  These  substances  make  a  very  hard  and  durable  waU,  if 
they  are  properly  prepared,  and  combined  during  favorable  weather. 
They  ought  always  to  have  time  to  harden  before  they  are  exposed 
to  the  action  of  frost. 

Houses  are  frequently  built  of  stones  of  irregular  shapes  and  sizes, 
of  any  shape  that  presents  three  flat  surfaces,  and  the  walls  when 
completed  may  be  covered  with  cement,  and  present  a  neat  and 
finished  apppearance.  This  is  a  cheap  mode  of  building,  in  any 
location  where  the  stones  are  lying  in  sufficient  abundance  upon  the 
ground.  These  stone  walls  are  more  nearly  impervious  to  moisture 
than  the  most  solid  of  bricks.  No  moisture  can  penetrate  them, 
except  what  may  pass  through  the  mortar  with  which  the  stones  are 
cemented.  But  to  avoid  the  evil  of  the  dampness  occasioned  by 
the  coldness  of  the  inside  of  the  walls,  they  should  be  boarded,  or 
lathed  and  plastered,  leaving  a  space  between  the  walls  and  the 
lining.  This  contrivance  to  a  considerable  extent  counteracts  the 
evil. 


PLAN. 


e-a 

A 


e-s> 

B 


,JO 


10- & 
c 


A  Bed  Room.     B,  Store  Room.     0,  Wood  Room.    D,  Closet.     E,  Kitchen.     P,  Dining 
Room.     G,  G,  Parlor  and  Living  Room.     II,  Front  Hall. 


DESIGN   NO.   IX. 


A     VILLAGE     OR     FARM     RESIDENCE. 


This  design  is  well  calculated  for  a  village  residence,  and  with 
some  slight  modifications  might  be  converted  into  an  excellent  farm- 
house. As  represented  on  the  plan,  it  would  be  suitable  for  a  board- 
ing-house. Double  windows  are  represented  on  the  elevation.  One 
large  window  does  not  cost  so  much  as  two  small  ones  of  half  its 
size,  two  windows  having  double  the  number  of  joints  in  putting 
up  the  work.  The  smaller  the  window  the  larger  is  the  proportion 
of  work.  Hence,  it  is  considered  the  best  mode  to  use  the  large  or 
double  windows,  whenever  the  proportions  of  the  house  and  of  its 
rooms  admit  them,  without  violation  of  taste  and  propriety. 

Most  of  the  New  England  people  have  a  predilection  for  a  multi- 
tude of  small,  high  windows,  with  curtain  fixtures  and  blinds.  Four 
windows  for  each  room  cause  an  unnecessary  expense,  and  destroy 
the  beauty  and  symmetry  of  many  of  our  country  dwellings.  It  is 
better  to  admit  the  same  quantity  of  light  from  one  window  than 
from  two,  as  the  smaller  the  number  of  windows  the  more  easy  it 
becomes  to  arrange  the  furniture  of  the  room. 

Bay-windows  admit  of  several  conveniences,  among  which  may  be 
named  the  accommodation  of  house  plants.  They  make  a  little 
recess  which  may  likewise  be  occupied  as  a  seat,  after  the  manner 
of  the  old-fashioned  brick  houses.  Perhaps  it  is  needless  to  mention 
likewise  the  facility  afforded  by  bay-windows  for  looking  out  on  each 
side  of  the  window  as  well  as  in  front  of  it. 


ESTIMATE   FOR   DESIGN   NO.   IX. 


3,600  feet  of  square  timber, 

4,000     "  "   deep  joist,  2x8  and  2x9, 

2,500     "  "   studding,  3x4  and  2x4, 

1,200     "  ■   rafters,  2x6, 


$15.00  per  M.      . 

$54.00 

15.00         "     . 

.       60.00 

15.00         " 

38.00 

15.00         "     . 

18.00 

B3 


84  CARPENTER'S   SPECIFICATIONS  —  DESIGN   NO.  IX. 

17,000  feet  of  sound  boards,  $16  per  M 272.00 

2,000     "      "   clear  boards,  for  shelves  and  inside  finish,  $30  per  M.  60.00 

2,000     "      "   partition  plank,  $15  per  M 30.00 

16  M.  extra  No.  1  shaved  shingles,  and  laying,  $6  per  M.      .  96.00 

196  feet  projection  and  gutters,  finished,  50  cents  per  foot,      .  98.00 

1,600  clapboards,  planed  and  laid,  $8  per  hundred,        .         .         .  128.00 

21  windows,  frames,  and  finish  both  sides,  $6  each,       .         .  126.00 

32  doors,  trimmed  and  finished  both  sides,  $5  each,           .         .  160.00 

Framing,  raising,  boarding,  and  under  floors,        ....  150.00 

Portico,  corners,  water-table,  &c,     .......  125.00 

Laying  floors,  putting  down  base,  finishing  closets,  &c.         .         .  100.00 

Building  3  flights  stairs, 120.00 

2  chimneys,  single  flues, 50.00 

800  lbs.  nails,  4f  cents  per  lb., 38.00 

800  yards  lathing  and  plastering,  20  cents  per  yard,  .         .         .  160.00 

4  marble  chimney  pieces,      ........  75.00 

Painting  and  papering, 175.00 

Cellar,  well,  and  pump, 250.00 

$2,383.00 


CARPENTER'S   SPECIFICATIONS. 

Stories.  —  The  cellar  to  be  1\  feet ;  the  first  story  9|-  feet ;  the  second 
story,  8^,  all  in  the  clear.     The  attic  floor  to  be  18  inches  below  the  plate. 

Timber.  —  The  sills,  7X7,  cross  timbers,  8x8,  corner  posts,  7X7,  boxed 
out;  centre  posts,  4X8,  girts,  trimmers,  and  ties,  4X8,  plates,  &X^,  rafters, 
2X6,  joist  in  first  floor,  2X9>  second  and  third  floor,  2x8.;  main  partitions, 
3  inches  thick. 

Roof — Covered  with  sound  boards,  well  nailed,  and  shingled  with  extra 
No.  1  shaved  shingles,  well  laid,  4|  inches  to  the  weather,  nailed  with 
Swedish  nails.  Lead  of  good  thickness,  14  inches  wide,  to  be  put  in  the 
gutters  on  the  roof;  also  around  the  chimneys,  to  make  water-tight.  The 
centre  of  back  roof  to  be  flat,  and  tinned. 

Projection  and  Gutters.  —  The  projection  will  be  14  inches,  with 
small  modillion  and  frieze  two  feet  wide.  Stout  tin  gutters  with  wood  hollow 
under  to  form  the  face  of  the  gutter ;  2\  inch  tin  conductors  with  cap  and 
shoe.     Rake  mould  with  open  pediment,  and  wide  fascia. 

Walls  —  To  be  covered  with  sound  square-edged  boards,  well  nailed ; 
clapboarded  with  the  best  extra  No.  1  heart  lumber,  §  inch  thick,  well 
dried,  planed,  butted,  and  well  laid,  4|  inches  to  the  weather. 


carpenter's  SPECIFICATIONS  —  DESIGN  NO.  IX.  85 

Windows.  —  There  will  be  10  double  windows,  10X15,  first  quality 
double  thick  German  glass ;  sash  1^  inch  thick,  with  lip.  One  half  of  each 
window  hung  with  weights ;  each  half  to  have  8  lights.  Hard  pine  stiles, 
1£  inch,  with  wide  top  facing,  rabbeted  cap  and  moulding ;  of  the  best  clear 
lumber ;  finished  with  plain  pilaster,  and  projecting  cap  mould  to  doors  and 
windows  in  all  the  principal  rooms  and  entries ;  single  band  mould  in  back 
rooms  and  chambers. 

Doors  and  Trimmings.  —  The  front  door,  If  inches  thick,  7  feet  2 
inches  by  3  feet,  4  panelled,  moulded  on  both  sides,  trimmed  with  mortice 
lock  worth  $1,  with  solid  flint  glass  knob,  plated  trimmings,  and  hinged 
with  4-g-  inch  loose  butts.  Inside  doors,  1-g-  inches  thick,  6  feet  10  by  2  feet 
8,  4  paneled,  and  moulded  on  both  sides;  to  be  made  of  the  best  kiln-dried 
pine  lumber,  free  from  pitch  or  sap ;  trimmed  with  mortice  lock  worth  37 
cents,  with  glass,  8  square,  knobs  and  white  trimmings ;  hinged  with  3^ 
inch  loose  butts. 

Stairs.  —  The  cellar  stairs  to  have  good  plank  stringers,  hard  pine  steps, 
with  raisers,  well  put  up.  Front  stairs,  straight  run,  with  7  inch  mahogany 
newel  at  the  bottom,  and  3|  inch  square  framed  and  turned  newels  to  the 
attic ;  2^  inch  mahogany  worked  rail ;  lg-  inch  turned  hard  pine  balusters ; 
1  iron  baluster  in  the  centre.  Southern  hard  pine  steps,  1^  inch  thick,  all 
of  the  best  matei'ials,  and  put  up  in  a  workman-like  manner.  Back  stairs 
with  base  and  hard  pine  steps,  and  partition  both  sides. 

Floors.  —  The  kitchen  and  store-rooms  to  be  laid  with  Southern  hard 
pine ;  the  other  floors  to  be  laid  with  good  sound  pine,  or  spruce,  free  from 
loose  or  large  knots ;  narrow  boards,  planed  and  laid,  level  and  smooth ; 
thoroughly  dried  before  they  are  laid. 

Base.  —  The  base  of  good,  sound,  suitable  dry  lumber,  f  inch  thick  and 
8  inches  wide,  well  put  down  in  all  the  principal  rooms  before  laying  the 
floor ;  a  suitable  base  mould  to  the  above  3  inches  wide.  Closets,  back 
chambers,  and  attics,  plain  base  beveled,  f  inch  thick  and  7  inches  wide. 

Closets.  —  All  the  closets  to  be  shelved  in  the  best  manner.  China 
closet  to  have  four  drawers  on  one  side. 

Lathing  and  Plastering.  —  1^  inch  clear  pine  laths,  $  inch  thick, 
well  put  on,  and  plastered  with  the  best  lime,  coarse  sand,  and  hair  mor- 
tar, one  coat,  and  a  good  skim-coat,  put  on  and  finished  in  the  best  manner. 

Painting  and  Papering.  —  The  inside  to  be  painted  with  two  good 
coats  of  pure  French  zinc  white  and  linseed  oil.  Outside,  two  good  coats 
of  pure  white  lead  and  linseed  oil.  Good  37  cent  paper  on  all  the  front 
part  of  the  house,  with  border  to  match ;  the  remainder  25  cents ;  all  to  be 
well  put  on. 


X. 

CLASSIFICATION  OP  DWELLING-HOUSES. 

The  classification  of  houses  is  in  a  great  measure  arbitrary, 
insomuch  that  it  would  be  difficult  to  define  them  so  precisely  as 
that  one  should  always  be  able  to  identify  each  particular  species. 
We  read  of  shanties,  huts,  cottages,  farm-houses,  blocks,  villas, 
mansions,  and  palaces.  Everybody  recognises  a  hut,  or  a  shanty, 
which  is  a  dwelling  of  the  lowest  class,  and  large  enough  to 
accommodate  only  two  or  three  persons  conveniently.  A  cottage 
is  commonly  understood  to  be  a  small  house,  either  of  one  or  two 
stories,  designed  for  a  small  family,  and  admitting,  according  to 
general  opinion,  of  less  ornament  than  the  villa.  Literally  speak- 
ing, all  our  common  sized  dwelling-houses  are  cottages,  no  matter 
what  may  be  their  shape. 

The  term  villa  is  used  to  designate  a  country-seat  for  a  man  of 
wealth,  combining  all  the  conveniences  of  a  .dwelling  in  the  city 
and  the  country.  It  is  supposed  to  admit  of  a  great  deal  of  orna- 
ment ;  and  it  would  seem  that  it  is  only  by  its  ornamentation  that 
it  is  really  distinguishable  from  any  dwelling-house  of  the  same  size 
and  conveniences.  The  only  true  definition  of  a  villa,  therefore, 
is  an  ornamental  country-house.  There  is  some  affectation  in  the 
habit  of  using  this  term,  which  is,  literally,  the  Latin  for  a  country- 
house.  The  last  term  is  generally  preferred.  A  gentleman  seldom 
speaks  of  his  villa;  he  prefers  the  compound  Saxon  word  country- 
house  or  country-seat,  and  leaves  the  Latin  word  to  be  used  by 
the  authors  of  works  on  architecture  to  tickle  the  fancy  of  their 
readers.  Some  artists  contend  that  as  villa  is  a  Roman  word,  and 
the  house  called  by  this  name  a  Roman  house,  it  should  be  built 
in  the  Italian,  or  Roman,  style. 

We  are  not  able  to  understand  the  precise  distinction  between  a 
villa  and  a  mansion.  In  England  the  latter  term  is  applied  to  the 
established  residence  of  a  nobleman's  family,  bearing  the  same 
relation   to   a   palace   that   a   nobleman   bears   to   his   king.      Any 

86 


CLASSIFICATION  OF  DWELLING-HOUSES.  87 

house,  therefore,  which  is  the  established  residence  of  a  nobleman, 
whatever  may  be  the  form,  the  style,  or  the  size  of  it,  is  a  mansion. 
The  distinction  seems  to  be  founded  entirely  on  the  noble  character 
of  its  proprietor  and  occupant.  It  is  almost  identical  with  Manor- 
House,  which,  as  denned  by  Repton,  is  the  house  "  where  the  lord 
of  the  soil  resided  among  his  tenants:"  "a  certain  character  of 
architecture  holding  a  middle  station  betwixt  the  baronial  castle 
and  the  yeoman's  habitation."  This  was  the  manor-house,  or  man- 
sion. The  style  in  which  it  is  built  is  not  named,  because  this  is 
susposed  to  depend  on  the  taste  or  caprice  of  the  proprietor,  and 
is  not  the  thing  upon  which  the  distinction  is  founded.  It  is  evi- 
dent, therefore,  that  as  we  have  no  order  of  nobility  in  the  United 
States  we  cannot  have  mansions,  in  the  literal  acceptation  of  the 
term. 

Our  own  country  is  a  land  of  cottages.  There  are  compara- 
tively few  persons  who  can  afford  to  build  or  to  occupy  a  house 
larger  than  the  wants  of  their  family  require.  Those  who  build  for 
hospitality,  for  hotel-keeping,  for  boarding,  or  for  ostentation,  want 
a  large  house.  Such  a  house  might  be  called  a  mansion.  We 
should  name  every  other  kind  of  a  dwelling-house,  every  house 
which  is  built  merely  for  the  accommodation  of  one's  own  family, 
without  reference  to  hospitality,  a  cottage,  which  may  be  ornamented 
more  or  less  according  to  the  taste  of  the  owner.  A  hotel,  a 
boarding-house,  or  any  large  house  built  for  hospitality,  or  the  show 
of  hospitality,  comes  as  near  a  mansion  as  any  kind  of  a  house  in 
this  country. 

A  villa,  as  defined  by  English  writers,  is  "  a  small  country  house." 
"The  name  'villa'  is  applied  to  places  of  considerable  variety  in 
dimensions  —  from  the  house  with  a  small  plat  of  garden  ground 
attached,  to  one  surrounded  by  thirty  or  forty  acres  of  pleasure 
grounds  and  park.  Some  mansions,  belonging  to  small  or  moder- 
ate-sized estates,  are,  in  their  whole  character  and  arrangements, 
nothing  else  than  villas ;  but  it  is  not  usual  so  to  designate  them ; 
they  are  rather  said  to  be  laid  out  in  the  villa  style,  though  the 
distinction  is  perhaps  more  imaginary  than  real."  The  truth  is, 
nearly  all  these  distinctions  are  imaginary;  and  all  are  arbitrary, 
especially  when  applied  to  dwelling-houses  in  this  country. 

There   is   another   classification  of  houses  which  has   more  par- 


88  CLASSIFICATION   OF   DWELLING-HOUSES. 

ticular  reference  to  architectural  style ;  but  this  is  neither  more 
precise  nor  intelligible  than  the  former.  Artists  speak  of  Grecian, 
Gothic,  Roman,  Italian,  Swiss,  and  several  other  styles.  In  all 
these,  if  any  one  will  study  them  carefully,  he  will  find  distinctions 
which  are  founded  only  on  caprice.  According  to  Repton,  Gothic 
houses  are  those  in  which  perpendicular  forms  prevail,  and  Grecian 
houses  are  those  in  which  horizontal  lines  are  most  apparent. 
Usually,  we  call  those  houses  which  are  built  with  extremely  pointed 
roofs  and  gables,  Gothic.  This  seems  to  be  the  distinction  which 
is  the  most  generally  understood  in  this  country;  but  it  is  quite 
unimportant  and  very  far  from  being  correct. 

There  are  certain  forms  and  combinations  of  forms  that  pre- 
dominate in  the  style  of  the  dwelling-houses  of  certain  countries. 
The  houses  in  Italy,  for  example,  have  comparatively  flat  roofs,  with 
considerable  projection,  and  piazzas.  In  Switzerland,  on  the  con- 
trary, the  houses  are  built  with  steep  roofs,  to  allow  the  snow  to  slide 
off  easily  from  them.  Various  other  styles  derive  their  respective 
names  from  the  country  in  which  they  originally  prevailed;  others 
from  their  resemblance  to  certain  modes  of  architecture.  Hence  we 
have  the  Classical,  and  the  Romantic  styles ;  the  former  correspond- 
ing with  the  type  of  Grecian  architecture,  the  latter  including  a  com- 
bination of  various  forms  or  types  in  a  sort  of  composite  style.  The 
characteristic  of  Grecian  architecture  is  symmetry ;  the  characteristic 
of  the  Gothic  style  is  irregularity ;  the  first  depends  on  perpendicular 
pressure,  the  second  on  lateral  pressure ;  the  first  is  horizontal  in  its 
appearance,  the  second  perpendicular.  Still  there  is  so  much  that  is 
unintelligible,  and  so  little  that  is  plain  and  obvious  in  the  distinc- 
tions between  the  two,  when  applied  to  common  wooden  dwelling- 
houses,  that  they  may  be  considered  hardly  worthy  of  study.  All 
wooden  buildings  are  Grecian  in  their  mechanical  construction,  and 
when  made  to  represent  the  Gothic  form,  are  counterfeits. 

Those  dwelling-houses  are  most  indicative  of  good  sense  and 
sound  judgment,  which  are  built  solely  with  reference  to  utility  and 
convenience,  and  to  the  wants  and  purposes  of  the  proprietors ;  and 
which  do  not  affect  any  particular  style  of  architecture.  Our  ances- 
tors exhibited  their  good  sense  when  they  built  those  plain  houses 
which  it  has  lately  become  fashionable  to  ridicule,  and  when  they 
named  those  houses  "  follies,"  which  were  built  in  the  style  that  is 


CLASSIFICATION   OF   DWELLING-HOUSES.  89 

most  admired  by  the  present  generation.  There  is  an  old  saying  that 
"  fools  build  houses  and  wise  men  live  in  them."  This  remark  is  true 
only  of  those  who  build  expensive  houses  for  ostentation.  To  those 
who  are  affected  with  this  sort  of  ambition,  we  would  address  the 
following  passage  from  La  Bruyere  :  — 

"  This  palace,  this  furniture,  these  gardens,  these  ^vater-works, 
charm  you.  At  the  first  sight  of  so  delicious  a  house,  you  cannot 
forbear  an  exclamation  on  the  extreme  felicity  of  the  owner.  Alas ! 
he  is  no  more;  he  never  lived  so  peaceably  and  so  agreeably  as 
yourself;  he  never  knew  a  cheerful  day  or  a  quiet  night;  he  sunk 
beneath  the  debts  he  contracted  in  adorning  this  structure  with  the 
beauties  that  so  transport  you.  His  creditors  drove  him  from  it ;  he 
left  it  with  a  broken  heart  and  died  a  miserable  dependent  on  the 
charity  of  his  friends." 

A  profusion  of  beautiful  ornaments,  even  if  they  were  as  easily 
procured  and  as  cheaply  maintained,  are  not  to  be  preferred  to  neat- 
ness and  simplicity.  Just  in  proportion  as  the  beautiful  is  sought, 
expense  must  be  lavished.  The  most  desirable  picturesque  effects, 
on  the  other  hand,  are  compatible  with  good  taste  and  economy. 
To  make  a  house  a  pleasing  picture,  however,  without  costly  decora- 
tions, requires  a  higher  exercise  of  the  faculty  of  taste.  Any  body 
who  has  money  enough  can  make  a  beautiful  and  showy  house,  by 
means  of  sculptured  and  architectural  ornamentation,  and  a  geomet- 
rical flower-bed  in  the  enclosures.  But  one  must  be  possessed  of  the 
true  genius  of  a  painter,  to  make  such  an  arrangement  of  the  house 
and  out  buildings,  grounds,  trees  and  shrubbery,  as  without  any  great 
lavishment  of  money,  will  produce  that  indescribable  charm  which 
shall  delight  every  eye.  We  see  but  very  few  such  places,  because 
nearly  all  who  build  houses  ape  one  another,  and  "make  every  con- 
sideration subservient  to  the  gratification  of  their  vanity.  Of  the 
few  such  model  places  which  are  to  be  seen,  the  most  are  the  result 
of  accident.  ■  It  is  by  carefully  observing  these,  and  tracing  to  their 
source  the  agreeable  sensations  felt  on  beholding  them,  that  we  can 
learn  the  principles  on  which  their  beauty  is  founded. 

In  conclusion,  we  would  remark,  that  it  is  vastly  more  important 

to  strive  to  attain  this  neat  and  romantic  expression  in  the  style  of 

our  dwellings  and  their  appurtenances,  than  to  seek  for  a  showy  or 

ambitious  style  of  architecture.     Tt  is  of  but  little  importance  whether 
12 


90  CLASSIFICATION   OF   DWELLING-HOUSES. 

a  house  be  Gothic  or  Grecian,  Swiss  or  Italian,  English  or  American, 
in  its  style,  provided  it  be  justly  proportioned,  free  from  meretricious 
ornaments,  and  the  grounds  and  out  buildings  so  arranged  as  to 
render  the  situation  pleasing  to  the  mind.  Too  much  stress  has  of 
late  been  placed  on  mere  architectural  embellishment.  Seek  pro- 
priety in  the  style  of  a  house,  and  let  its  beauty  consist  rather  in  its 
proportions  than  in  its  ornaments. 


DESIGN,   No.  X. 


PLAN. 


A,  Parlor.    B,  Front  Hall.    C,  Kitchen.    D,  Living  Room.    E,  Store  Room. 
G,  Wood  Room.     F,  China  Closet. 


DESIGN  NO.   X. 


AN      IRREGULAR      HOUSE. 


The  irregular  form  of  the  ground  plan  suggests  the  title  for  this 
design.  It  will  be  noticed  that  the  house  is  embellished  with  a 
piazza,  circular-head  windows,  a  bay-window,  and  large  bracketed 
projection. 

The  sitting  room,  which  projects  on  the  front  of  the  design,  affords 
a  prospect  on  three  sides,  a  very  desirable  feature  in  a  suburban  resi- 
dence. The  parlor  has  two  windows  of  common  size,  and  a  lajge 
bay-window  intended  to  face  the  street.  The  front  entrance  is  on  the 
side,  under  the  piazza,  to  the  front  hall,  which  is  large,  with  circular 
stairs  in  the  rear. 

On  the  first  floor  are  three  rooms  of  good  size,  wood-room,  store- 
room, china-closet,  and  pantry ;  a  flight  of  back  stairs  leading  to  the 
second  floor,  on  which  are  four  chambers,  and  three  closets  for 
clothes ;  three  chambers  in  the  attic. 

The  Specifications  under  Design  No.  XI.  are  applicable  to  this. 
The  estimated  cost  of  a  building  constructed  after  this  design  and 
plan  is  twenty-six  hundred  dollars. 

93 


XI. 

ON  EMBELLISHMENTS. 

The  majority  of  writers  on  rural  improvements  are  Englishmen, 
who  have  written  with  reference  to  the  wants  of  the  wealthy  only. 
Their  rules  can  be  carried  into  operation  by  men  of  vast  pecuniary 
resources,  but  are  almost  without  any  use  to  those  of  moderate 
means.  "We  have  but  few  men  of  such  wealth  in  this  country, 
and  it  is  not  desirable  that  they  should  increase  in  numbers,  since 
there  must  be  a  proportional  increase  of  mendicants.  When  treat- 
ing of  the  improvements  of  landscape  in  this  country,  one  should 
write  for  the  masses,  for  men  who  are  either  poor,  or  only  moder- 
ately wealthy.  It  ought  to  be  shown  in  what  manner  the  most 
pleasing  and  desirable  effects  may  be  produced,  by  stating  rules  and 
principles  which  can  be  carried  out  by  the  poorest  man  in  the 
country  who  owns  a  house  and  an  acre  of  land. 

It  is  the  object  of  the  present  remarks  to  treat  of  the  advantage 
of  consulting  moral  rather  than  beautiful  effects  in  the  embellish- 
ment of  our  dwellings  and  their  enclosures.  Most  writers  when 
considering  the  style  and  decorations  of  a  dwelling  have  reference 
only  to  absolute  beauty,  and  moral  effects  have  been  almost  entirely 
overlooked.  They  speak  of  harmony,  symmetry,  proportions  and 
colors,  because  these  are  constituents  of  the  beautiful ;  but  that 
combination  of  simplicity,  neatness,  naturalness,  and  certain  other 
qualities,  which  by  suggesting  agreeable  thoughts  or  awakening 
pleasant  emotions,  constitute  an  interesting  picture,  are  entirely 
overlooked,  or  receive  but  a  few  passing  remarks.  All  this  neglect 
arises  from  narrow  and  imperfect  conceptions  of  the  nature  of 
these  qualities  as  applied  to  improvements  in  landscape  and  ar- 
chitecture. 

We  are  charmed  with  the  apparent  indications  or  expressions 
of  certain  amiable  virtues,  such  as  humility,  resignation,  innocence, 
cheerfulness,  and  contentment.  If  we  observe  the  same  in  a  face, 
as  in  that  of  a  simple-minded  and  intelligent  looking  old  person, 

94 


ON    EMBELLISHMENTS.  95 

this  face,  if  skilfully  represented  on  canvas,  would  become  a  favorite 
picture.  Anything  that  suggests  the  idea  of  similar  qualities  in  the 
appearance  of  a  cottage  renders  it  a  favorite  subject  for  the  artist. 
These  are  some  of  the  qualities  of  the  picturesque.  The  pictur- 
esque character  of  any  building  is  that  quality  belonging  to  it,  or 
associated  with  it,  which  excites  in  the  mind  an  agreeable  sentiment, 
or  emotion,  independently  of  its  intrinsic  beauty.  Such  is  an  ap- 
parent adaptedness  to  pleasant  rural  retirement,  or  domestic  peace 
and  comfort.  A  plain  cottage,  overgrown  with  vines  and  creep- 
ing plants,  suggesting  that  its  inmates  are  humble  people,  endowed 
with  a  love  for  the  beauties  of  nature,  and  uncorrupted  by  any  fool- 
ish ambition,  has  an  expression  that  renders  it  a  pleasing  object  for 
a  cultivated  mind  to  behold  and  contemplate. 

It  is  of  the  greatest  importance  for  the  attainment  of  pleasing 
effects,  to  provide  for  an  appearance  of  neatness  and  comfort  in  the 
scenes  and  enclosures  around  our  habitations.  If  this  be  wanting, 
the  mind  of  the  spectator  is  affected  with  disagreeable  sympathies ; 
—  with  pity  for  the  inhabitants  for  their  lack  of  comfort,  or  with 
contempt  for  their  want  of  neatness.  Neatness  must  not  be  con- 
founded with  primness,  or  the  manifestation  of  great  labor  and  ex- 
pense in  providing  paint  and  fanciful  decorations  of  the  fences  and 
out-buildings.  An  unpainted  cottage,  with  a  mere  footpath  winding 
along  from  the  roadside  to  the  front  doorstep,  —  a  rough  slab  of 
granite,  —  with  the  grass  growing  all  around  it,  may  exhibit  a  per- 
fect pattern  of  neatness,  while  a  highly  ornamented  cottage,  with 
white  painted  fences,  a  straight  or  serpentine  gravelled  walk,  and 
other  finical  appurtenances,  may  exhibit  a  disgusting  example  of 
slovenliness.  Neatness  combined  with  simplicity  around  a  plain 
cottage,  give  to  it  a  double  charm,  by  suggesting  the  idea  of  com- 
fort and  thrift,  unassociated  with  wealth  and  pride.  It  is  natural 
for  the  wealthy  whose  minds  are  uncultivated  to  banish  simplicity 
from  the  rural  decorations  of  their  dwelling-houses,  because  it  seems 
calculated  to  conceal  that  wealth  of  which  they  are  ostentatious. 
This  species  of  vanity  would  be  comparatively  innocent  if  it  were 
confined  to  the  wealthy.  But  how  often  do  we  see  a  house  built 
by  a  poor  man  with  borrowed  capital,  which  is  expressive  only  of  the 
effort  of  the  builder  to  give  to  his  house  the  appearance  of  great 


96  ON  EMBELLISHMENTS. 

cost.  Such  builders  fancy  themselves  guided  by  taste,  while  they 
are  only  aping  what  they  cannot  successfully  imitate. 

It  should  be  a  rule  with  all  who  are  going  to  build  or  decorate 
a  house,  to  take  their  models  from  cheaper  houses  than  such  as 
they  can  afford  to  build,  and  improve  upon  them.  The  contrary 
rule  is  their  present  guide.  They  take  an  expensive  house  for  their 
model,  and  make  a  counterfeit  of  that  which  they  cannot  success- 
fully imitate.  Such  houses  are  sufficiently  numerous  in  this  country 
to  destroy  the  beauty  of  our  landscapes ;  for  nothing  is  so  ridiculous 
as  the  result  of  an  unsuccessful  attempt. 

That  sort  of  neatness  which  is  compatible  with  a  simple  and 
natural  appearance  of  one's  enclosures,  may  be  preserved  compara- 
tively with  little  labor  or  cost.  To  preserve  neatness,  on  the  other 
hand,  in  the  midst  of  costly  and  luxurious  embellishments,  whether 
rural  or  architectural,  requires  the  constant  employment  of  propor- 
tional labor  and  expense.  A  man  of  moderate  means,  therefore, 
who  imitates  the  wealthy  by  a  profusion  of  architectural  ornaments, 
shrubbery,  and  flowers,  must  carry  the  imitation  still  further,  by  hiring 
laborers  to  keep  them  in  decent  trim.  On  this  account  it  is  advis- 
able for  every  one  to  consider,  when  laying  out  his  grounds,  whether 
he  is  not  providing  for  a  constant  source  of  expense,  or  a  yard  full 
of  litter  and  deformity. 

It  is  the  habit  of  overlooking  these  considerations  that  causes  so 
much  slovenliness  about  the  enclosures  of  most  of  our  houses  in  the 
country.  The  owner  has  commenced  by  laying  out  more  work  than 
he  can  afford  to  finish.  As  the  majority  of  those  who  own  houses 
cannot  afford  to  hire  much  labor,  it  is  reasonable  to  inquire,  what  is 
the  best  method  of  decorating  them  and  their  enclosures  with  the 
least  expense  and  with  the  most  pleasing  results.  Fortunately,  that 
style  of  decoration  which  yields  the  most  satisfaction  to  the  mind, 
though  not  the  most  dazzling  to  the  eye,  is  that  which  is  the  most 
favorable  to  economy  of  labor  and  money. 

For  the  illustration  of  these  remarks,  let  us  look  at  two  pictures  of 
scenes  which  are  of  frequent  occurrence.  When  passing  through  a 
country  village  we  may  observe  on  a  slight  elevation,  a  few  rods  back 
from  the  street,  a  plain  square  cottage.  As  it  never  was  painted,  the 
dark  stone-color  of  its  walls  pleasantly  harmonizes  with  the  green 
lawn  in  front  and  on  each  side  of  the  house.     This  is  kept  constantly 


ON    EMBELLISHMENTS.  97 

shorn  by  a  few  cows  that  are  allowed  to  graze  upon  it  after  returning 
from  pasture.  No  fence  encloses  this  beautiful  plat  of  verdure,  which 
is  shaded  by  two  or  three  large  trees.  Beneath  one  of  them  is  a  well, 
with  a  plain  unadorned  curb.  In  the  rear  of  the  house  a  quantity  of 
wood  is  neatly  piled  against  the  rugged  stone  wall.  On  the  smooth- 
shaven  green  around  the  house  there  is  an  absence  of  all  litter.  The 
fruit  trees  in  the  orchard  near  by,  are  thrifty  in  their  appearance ; 
and  the  branches  which  have  been  pruned  from  them  are  cut  up 
for  fuel,  and  thrown  into  a  conical  heap  a  few  steps  from  the  back- 
door. The  barn-yard  is  covered  with  straw,  and  furnishes  evidence 
that  some  neat  hand  has  been  busy  with  the  hoe  and  the  shovel. 
The  cows  and  cattle  are  sleek  and  clean,  and  the  pigs  are  neatly 
penned  at  the  further  side  of  the  barn.  A  footpath  winds  along 
from  the  street  to  the  front  door,  and  another  is  seen  in  the  rear 
of  the  house,  leading  to  the  field  or  garden.  There  is  neither  paint 
nor  whitewash  anywhere  to  be  seen ;  yet  every  beholder  would  point 
to  the  place  as  a  pattern  of  neatness  and  comfort. 

Let  us  now  examine  the  other  picture.  A  prim  white  fence 
surrounds  a  white  painted  house,  enclosing  a  narrow  strip  of  land 
on  two  sides,  crowded  with  exotic  shrubbery.  A  gravelled  walk, 
half  covered  with  knot-grass,  leads  from  the  street  to  the  front 
door.  Beneath  the  shrubbery,  the  soil,  which  seems  to  have  been 
dug  up  in  the  spring,  has  been  planted  with  a  variety  of  annuals, 
now  growing  in  disorder,  half  concealed  by  a  crowded  assemblage 
of  weeds.  Flowers,  weeds  and  shrubbery,  briars,  evergreens,  and 
faded  stalks,  are  yellow  with  dust  from  the  street.  The  rosebushes 
which  had  once  been  trinpned  against  the  porch  have  fallen  down, 
and  as  if  in  spite  for  the  neglect  they  suffer,  tear  the  dresses  of 
women  and  children  as  they  pass  out  of  the  house. 

The  stiff  spruces  and  firs,  standing  like  sentinels  at  each  corner, 
are  as  dusty  as  soldiers  at  the  close  of  a  day's  march.  A  dirty 
hen-coop  and  pigsty,  each  with  a  prim  white  fence  around  it,  blend 
their  odors  with  that  of  the  roses,  the  tiger-lilies  and  the  holly-hocks, 
whose  dingy  faces  are  just  visible  through  the  weeds  and  stubble. 
The  grass,  which  is  long  and  tangled,  has  rotted  in  a  blackish 
semi-circle  under  the  back  windows,  where  the  slops,  apple  parings, 
and  potato  cuttings  have  been  thrown  out  by  the  labor-saving 
housewife.     Upon  the  shrubbery  under  the  front  windows,  numerous 

13 


98  ON   EMBELLISHMENT3. 

threads  and  narrow  strips  of  linen  and  calico  are  thickly  suspended, 
like  the  long  moss  that  hangs  from  the  maples  in  the  swamps. 
The  enclosures,  which  must  have  been  originally  laid  out  and 
planted  at  considerable  expense,  resemble  a  dandy,  who,  having 
been  overtaken  by  poverty,  continues  to  wear  his  costly  garments 
until  they  are  miserably  soiled  and  ragged. 

It  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  the  inmates  of  these  finical  and  showy 
houses  are  less  disposed  to  be  neat  in  their  habits  than  the  inmates 
of  houses  of  a  more  humble  appearance.  But  it  may  be  safely  as- 
serted, that  when  a  dwelling-house  is  surrounded  by  a  mingled  mass 
of  flowers  and  shrubbery,  its  enclosures  cannot  be  preserved  without 
extraordinary  care  and  labor,  in  so  neat  a  condition  as  one  sur- 
rounded by  a  clear,  open  lawn.  The  practice  of  surrounding  one's 
house  with  a  fence,  enclosing  a  narrow  yard,  and  filling  it  with 
all  kinds  of  shrubbery,  is  so  general,  and  is  so  generally  regarded 
as  an  evidence  of  taste  on  the  part  of  the  owner,  that  many  would 
deem  it  a  sort  of  profanity  to  ridicule  it.  But  there  is  a  combined 
appearance  of  comfort,  neatness,  and  freedom  about  an  unenclosed 
and  open  green  grass-plat,  in  front  of  a  dwelling-house,  that  attracts 
and  excites  general  admiration.  One  or  two  large  trees  should 
stand  at  a  good  distance  from  the  house,  to  relieve  the  otherwise 
bleak  appearance  of  the  place,  and  the  effect  will  be  far  more 
pleasing  than  any  which  would  result  from  ill-kept  shrubbery  and 
flowers  within  a  confined  and  narrow  enclosure.  "We  shall  treat 
further  of  this  matter  under  the  head  of  Fences  and  Hedges. 


DESIGN     No.  XI. 


PLAN. 


A,  Wood  Room.     B,  Bed  Koom.     C,  Store  Room.     D,  China  Closet.     E,  Kitchen.    F,  Parlor. 
0,  Living  Room. 


DESIGN  NO.  XL 

A     SQUARE     HOUSE     IN     ITALIAN     STYLE. 

This  design  is  for  a  square  house,  with  a  flat  roof,  bracketed  cor- 
nice and  dental  work,  with  a  portico,  over  the  front  door  supported 
by  large  brackets,  projecting  window-caps,  brackets,  and  large  sized 
glass,  in  the  Italian  style  of  architecture,  as  it  is  termed. 

A  square  house,  with  a  proper  arrangement  of  rooms,  is  the  most 
economical  form ;  and  the  nearer  we  approach  to  a  square  form,  the 
greater  the  amount  of  room  saved.  The  house  represented  in  this 
design  will  furnish  accommodation  and  all  necessary  conveniences 
for  a  family  of  more  than  ordinary  size  in  numbers.  On  the  first 
floor  are  a  parlor,  sitting  and  dining  rooms,  a  large  kitchen,  a  store- 
room, china-closet,  a  large  wood-room,  and  front  entry.  Flights  of 
stairs,  front  and  back,  lead  to  the  second  floor,  on  which  are  five 
chambers  in  the  main  house  and  one  in  the  L,  with  four  closets 
in  the  main  house. 


>15.00  per  M. 

.     $55.50 

15.00         " 

64.50 

15.00         "     . 

.       30.00 

15.00 

15.00 

16.00        "     . 

.     200.00 

ESTIMATE   FOR  DESIGN  NO.  XI. 

3,700  feet  of  square  timber,  6X8  and  7x9,  $15.00  per  M 
4,300     "     "   floor  joists,  2x9  and  3x9, 
2,000     "     "   studding,  3x4  and  2X4, 
1,000     «     "   partitions,  2X3  and  3X4, 
12,500     "     "   good  pine  boards, 
3,000     "     "   clear  pine,  for  finish  of  base  and  closets,  $35  per  M.     105.00 
172     "     "   projection,  and  finish,  with  modillions,  $1.25  per  foot,     215.00 
13  double  windows,   finished    with    two    lights,  German    double 

thick  glass,  $20  each, 260.00 

6  small  windows,  finished  with  weights,  $3.50  each,     .         .  21.00 

22  doors,  finished  and  trimmed,  $6  each, 132.00 

1,700  clapboards,  planed  and  laid,  $7  per  hundred,    .         .         .         119.00 
700  lbs.  nails,  4|  cents  per  lb 33.25 

101 


102 


CARPENTER'S  SPECIFICATIONS  —  DESIGN  NO.  XI. 


800  yards  of  lathing  and  plastering,  28  cents  per  yard, 

2  brick  chimneys,  with  lead  and  fixtures,     . 
Framing,  boarding,  laying  floors,  &c,  .... 
Laying  top  floors,  base,  mouldings,  and  finish, 
Front  stairs  $80,  cellar  stairs  $10,       .... 

Back  shed  $75,  portico  $25, 

3  marble  chimney  pieces,  $20  each,     .... 
3  marble  shelves  and  brackets,         .... 

Papering,  and  painting  3  coats, 

Cellar,  well,  pumps,  and  fixtures,      .... 
1,575  feet  of  tinned  roof,  9  cents  per  foot,  . 


224.00 

75.00 

100.00 

75.00 

90.00 

100.00 

60.00 

18.00 

175.00 

275.00 

141.75 

$2584.00 


CARPENTER'S   SPECIFICATIONS. 

Stories.  — The  cellar  to  be  7£  feet,  the  first  story  to  be  9^  feet,  the 
second  story  to  be  8£  feet,  all  in  the  clear  when  finished.  The  attic  floor 
to  be  2  feet  below  the  plates. 

Timber.  —  The  sills  7X7  inches,  cross  timbers  7x9,  corner  posts  7X7, 
and  boxed  out;  centre  posts  4X9,  girts,  trimmers,  and  ties  4X8,  plates  6X8, 
rafters  2X6,  deep  joist  in  first  and  second  floor  2x9,  attic  floor  2X8; 
studs  3X4,  set  edgewise;  main  partitions  3  inches,  and  short  partitions  2 
inches. 

Roof  —  Covered  with  sound  inch  boards,  well  nailed;  to  be  tinned  with 
the  best  quality  of  roofing  tin,  secured  in  the  best  manner,  and  made  water 
tight. 

Projection.  —  The  projection  will  be  2  feet,  with  plain  bracket  and 
dental  work ;  the  gutter  to  be  formed  on  top  the  roof  with  OG  cornice. 

Portico.  —  A  portico  of  3  feet  projection  over  the  front  door,  supported 
by  large  brackets,  with  a  dental  cornice. 

Windows.  —  Windows  made  double,  with  2  lights  to  "each  half  of  20X15 
first  quality  of  German  double  thick  glass;  sash  1^  inches  thick,  made  of 
pure  pine  lumber.  The  frames  made  of  clear  sound  lumber ;  l£  inch  out- 
side finish,  projecting  cap  and  brackets  ;  sash  hung  with  weights  in  the  best 
manner;    6  single  windows  made  as  above  described. 

Doors  and  Trimmings. — The  front  door  2  inches  thick,  made  of  pure 
heart  lumber  with  2  bottom  panels,  moulded  both  sides,  and  2  lights  of 
white  German  plate  glass,  32X13  inches,  of  good  thickness,  well  set,  in  the 
upper  panels ;    a  mortice  lock,  flint  glass  knobs,  and  plated  trimmings ;  hung 


CARPENTER'S  SPECIFICATIONS  —  DESIGN  NO.  XI.  103 

with  4  inch  loose  butts.  The  inside  doors,  If  inch  thick,  4  panels,  moulded 
on  both  sides,  all  to  be  made  of  the  best  clear  soft  pine  lumber,  kiln-dried, 
and  well  glued  up.  Trimmed  with  mortice  lock  worth  62  cents,  and  flint 
glass  knobs  with  plated  trimmings ;  iiung  with  3^  inch  loose  butts. 

Stairs.  —  The  front  stairs  to  have  7  inch  turned  newel,  of  mahogany,  with 
2^  inches  worked  hand-rail  of  mahogany,  hard  pine  balusters  1^  inch,  with 
one  iron  baluster;  square  turned  newels  on  the  upper  floor.  The  cellar 
stairs  to  have  plank  stringers,  and  hard  pine  steps,  put  up  in  best  manner. 

Floors. — The  floors  to  be  laid  of  thoroughly  seasoned  spruce  or  pine 
narrow  boards,  well  nailed  and  level.  The  kitchen  to  be  laid  with  Southern 
hard  pine. 

Lathing.  —  The  laths  to  be  l£  inch  in  width,  clear  pine,  f  inch  thick- 
ness, and  well  put  on;   partitions  set  12  inches  from  centres. 

Back  Plastering.  —  To  be  furred  in  the  centre  of  the  stud  16  inches, 
and  lathed  and  plastered  with  good  lime  and  hair  mortar,  and  made  air- 
tight on  all  the  outside  walls. 

Plastering.  —  One  coat  of  the  best  white  lime,  coarse  sand,  and  sound 
hair  mortar,  and  finished  in  the  best  manner  with  a  good  skim-coat. 

Chimneys.  —  Two  brick  chimneys,  20x24  inches,  commencing  at  the  bot- 
tom of  the  cellar,  on  a  stone  foundation,  and  extending  5  feet  above  the 
roof,  topped  out  with  hard  burnt  bricks,  4  inches  larger  each  way,  and 
secured  all  round  with  lead  to  make  water-tight. 

Painting. — The  painting  to  be  done  with  pure  white  lead  and  linseed 
oil;  three  coats  over  all  the  outside.  The  inside  to  be  painted  with  pure 
French  zinc  and  oil,  two  coats,  and  varnished. 

Papering.  —  The  parlor,  sitting  room,  and  library,  should  be  papered 
with  50  cent  paper;  front  entry  with  37  cent,  and  chambers  with  25  cent 
paper,  with  borders  to  match. 

Skylight.  —  A  suitable  skylight  over  the  upper  entry,  of  9  lights,  double 
thick  glass,  9X12,  well  secured  with  lead. 


XII. 

HOUSEHOLD  FURNITURE. 

The  American  people  are  notorious  for  the  habit  of  frequently- 
changing  the  furniture  of  their  houses.  This  habit,  it  is  believed, 
however,  is  chiefly  confined  to  people  who  live  in  town,  and  who 
endeavor  to  live  in  style,  or  according  to  the  requisitions  of  fashion. 
The  aim  of  these  classes  of  people  is  to  live  in  a  perpetual  glitter. 
Nothing  is  valuable  in  their  sight  that  does  not  dazzle  the  eyes  or 
excite  the  admiration  of  the  public.  They  live  not  for  happiness, 
but  for  ambition ;  and  this  ambition  is  of  the  lowest  kind ;  because 
it  desires  not  the  approbation  of  the  wise  and  good,  but  that  most 
vulgar  of  all  fame,  the  plaudits  of  Fashion  and  the  envy  of  her 
votaries.  Many  of  these  persons  who  realize  from  the  profits  of 
their  business  an  annual  income  of  ten  thousand  dollars  or  more, 
spend  it  all  in  sacrificing  to  fashion,  and  ultimately  die  in  bank- 
ruptcy or  poverty.  It  is  a  rule  with  them  to  keep  furniture  only  so 
long  as  it  is  in  fashion;  as  soon  as  the  fashion  changes  it  is  sent 
off  to  be  sold  at  auction,  and  their  houses  are  furnished  with  more 
in  the  new  style. 

But  these  remarks  are  not  addressed  to  this  class  of  people,  who 
have  neither  the  will  to  listen  to  them,  nor  the  good  sense  to  appre- 
ciate any  rule  of  conduct  that  condemns  their  own  follies.  Those 
only  are  addressed  who  study  economy  rather  than  fashion,  who 
desire  the  goodwill  and  approbation,  rather  than  the  envy  of  their 
neighbors,  and  who  are  guided  by  a  rational  taste  rather  than  by  a 
love  of  glitter  and  finery.  To  such  persons  the  furniture  of  their 
houses  is  an  important  matter  for  study  and  reflection.  It  is  the  wise 
only  whom  we  should  aim  to  instruct,  as  the  foolish  are  unwilling 
listeners. 

The  furniture  of  a  house  is  as  important  a  subject  for  the  consid- 
eration of  an  economist  as  the  house  itself;  since,  if  the  former  be 
inconvenient,  badly  constructed,  or  ugly  in  its  style,  it  interferes 
with  the  comforts   and   enjoyments  of  home.     If   it  be  too  light   it 

104 


HOUSEHOLD   FURNITURE.  105 

is  in  danger  of  being  broken;  if  too  heavy  it  is  difficult  to  be 
handled;  if  too  nice  it  is  easily  defaced;  if  too  coarse  it  does  not 
afford  satisfaction.  An  ill-made  and  uncomfortable  set  of  chairs 
is  a  constant  annoyance  to  the  members  of  the  family.  When  we 
are  sitting,  it  is  a  matter  of  serious  importance  to  our  cheerfulness 
as  well  as  our  comfort  that  we  should  be  able  to  take  an  easy  and 
unconstrained  position.  This  cannot  be  done  if  the  chair  we  occupy 
is  badly  shaped  or  hard  seated.  As  much  art,  therefore,  is  required 
to  make  a  perfect  chair,  as  to  make  a  perfect  garment,  or  a  perfect 
musical  instrument.  A  bureau,  with  a  set  of  drawers  so  well  made 
as  to  slide  back  and  forth  without  difficulty,  is  a  valuable  luxury 
in  a  lady's  chamber;  and  one  which  is  of  an  opposite  character 
must  be  a  constant  source  of  vexation  and  a  sore  trial  to  the  temper. 
Perfect  construction  and  adaptation  to  its  purpose  are  of  vastly 
more  importance  than  mere  style. 

Every  married  couple  should  aim,  on  setting  out  in  life,  to  pur- 
chase such  furniture  as  they  would  like  to  keep  through  the  remain- 
der of  their  days.  They  should  select  articles  which  are  well  made, 
convenient,  comfortable,  and  neat  in  their  style ;  not  too  light,  noT 
too  heavy.  They  should  be  particular  to  reject  massive  furniture 
of  all  kinds,  if  they  live  in  a  hired  house.  In  this  case  they  should 
look  out  for  the  conveniences  of  removing  it;  the  lighter  it  is  the 
less  will  be  the  expense  of  freight,  and  the  less  the  damage  it  will 
suffer  by  removal  from  one  house  to  another.  But  if  one  lives  in 
his  own  house,  a  wise  economy  would  require  the  purchase  of 
more  massive  and  substantial  furniture,  which  may  be  preserved 
without  deterioration,  a  great  number  of  years. 

Furniture  is  always  more  agreeable  to  the  eye,  in  proportion  to 
its  antiquity,  if  it  was  originally  well  constructed  of  good  materials, 
and  fashioned  according  to  a  pleasing  model.  A  bureau,  for  exam- 
ple, of  this  description,  a  hundred  years  old,  has  a  charm  about  it 
which  cannot  be  imitated  in  a  new  one.  But  such  a  bureau,  to  be 
well  preserved,  must  have  remained  in  the  same  house,  and  de- 
scended from  father  to  son,  or  mother  to  daughter.  If  it  were 
removed  from  house  to  house,  with  a  moving  family,  once  in  two 
or  three  years  on  an  average,  it  would  become  seriously  defaced 
before  it  had  lost  the  appearance  of  its  youth.  A  moving,  house- 
less   family,    should    be    content   with   the    lightest    and    cheapest 

14 


106  HOUSEHOLD   FURNITURE. 

furniture  that  can  be  obtained.  They  are  only  sojourners  for  a 
brief  space  in  the  house  they  occupy,  and  economy  is  seldom 
practised  by  those  who  are  either  necessarily,  or  by  choice,  addicted 
to  such  roving  habits.  But  to  this  class  of  people  it  is  almost  as 
needless  to  address  any  advice  as  to  the  votaries  of  fashion.  "We 
should  rather  address  those  who  own  the  house  they  occupy,  and 
who  would  find  it  the  part  of  wisdom  to  buy  furniture  that  would 
wear  well  for  a  hundred  years. 

Fashion  has  suffered  so  many  revolutions  within  the  last  twenty 
years,  that  there  is  hardly  a  pattern  of  household  furniture  which  may 
not  be  found  at  the  warehouses.  Out  of  all  these  varieties,  we 
should  select  those  articles  which  are  the  most  convenient  in  their 
form  and  construction,  and  which  are  made  in  the  neatest  and  most 
workman-like  manner.  Heavy  furniture,  if  it  be  as  well  made  as  it  is 
massive,  should  be  preferred ;  but  particularly  avoided  if  it  be  badly 
made.  There  are  mahogany  chairs,  as  heavy  as  one  can  convenient- 
ly lift,  which  are  fastened  together  only  by  glue  and  a  few  wooden 
pegs,  and  will  become  loose  at  the  joints  as  often  as  once  a  quarter; 
and  by  a  family  of  large  boys  would  be  completely  demolished  in  the 
course  of  one  year.  Such  chairs  were  probably  invented  to  suit  a 
fashion  which  was  expected  to  change  in  less  than  a  year,  and  it  was 
thought  unwise  to  construct  them  well  enough  to  outlast  the  style. 

The  American  people  ought  to  learn  household  economy  of  the 
English,  and  some  other  European  nations,  who  take  pride  in  the 
antiquity  of  their  furniture,  and  care  nothing  about  its  fashionable- 
ness.  But  they  pay  some  regard  to  its  architecture.  They  select  a 
good  model,  convenient  for  use,  and  pleasing  in  its  forms,  and  prize 
it  as  they  would  an  heirloom, —  and  as  the  ancients  prized  their 
household  gods.  Our  people  have  endeavored  to  imitate  them  so  far 
as  to  hunt  for  furniture  constructed  in  antique  style.  This  rage  has 
led  to  the  introduction  of  some  excellent  patterns;  but  a  more 
rational  taste  would  lead  us  to  preserve  our  furniture  until  it  grows 
old  with  ourselves,  instead  of  running  after  antique  models  to  be 
changed  for  any  other  style  that  may  in  futur*e  become  fashionable. 

It  is  when  we  are  considering  the  style  of  our  furniture,  that  we 
realize  in  an  especial  manner  the  importance  and  the  wisdom  of 
owning  a  house.  There  is  no  satisfaction  in  buying  good  furniture, 
to  fit  the  rooms  of  a  hous.e  which  we  have  hired  for  a  few  years,  and 


HOUSEHOLD    FURNITURE.  107 

from  which  we  may  remove  at  the  next  year's  end.  But  if  we  own 
a  house,  we  feel  that  we  are  acting  wisely  in  paying  a  dear  price 
for  a  valuable  bureau,  bedstead,  or  set  of  chairs.  "We  know  where 
they  are  to  be  placed,  and  there  we  have  reason  to  believe  they  will 
remain  for  an  indefinite  period  of  time. 

"We  would  give  the  same  advice,  under  these  happy  circumstances, 
in  the  selection  of  furniture,  as  in  the  building  of  a  house.  Look 
out  for  durability  and  convenience,  and  pay  nothing  for  the  prevail- 
ing mode  beyond  its  intrinsic  value.  If  the  style  of  it  is  agreeable 
to  the  eye,  and  every  way  promotive  of  ease,  comfort,  and  conveni- 
ence, it  is  the  one  which  a  good  judgment  would  select  though  it 
had  been  out  of  fashion  ten  years.  It  seems  like  cant  to  ridicule 
fashion ;  but  although  we  would  avoid  cant  and  common  place 
remarks,  there  is  nothing  more  just  than  the  condemnation  which  the 
veriest  cynic  has  uttered  against  fashion,  which  is  the  most  senseless 
of  all  rules  of  human  conduct.  Fashion  often  brings,  by  accident, 
a  good  thing  into  use :  but  fashion  never  yet  had  sense  enough  to 
avoid  exchanging  this  good  thing  for  another  almost  entirely  worth- 
less, when-  the  caprice  of  her  votaries  demanded  it.  Let  us  keep 
ourselves  independent  of  all  such  influences,  and  be  governed  by 
taste  and  good  sense. 

There  is  a  sort  of  pedantry  in  the  style  of  furniture,  as  well  as  in 
the  style  of  our  buildings.  In  allusion  to  this  an  English  writer 
remarks :  —  "I  like  appropriate  emblems  in  furniture,  though  I  would 
not  adopt  the  pedantry  of  Mr.  Hope,  in  its  full  extent,  and  make 
every  foot-stool,  by  its  classical  or  hieroglyphical  mysteries,  puzzle 
the  head  instead  of  supporting  the  body.  Where  pleasant  associa- 
tions can  be  awakened — why  should  not  our  chairs,  tables,  and 
side-boards  be  made  to  enhance  the  attractions  and  resources 
of  home,  by  ministering  to  a  refined  taste,  and  stimulating  the 
imagination?  To  study  how  every  decoration  may  express  an 
emblem,  and  even  to  pun  in  marble,  by  sculpturing  horses'  heads 
beside  a  bust  of  Philip,  because  that  word  signifies,  in  Greek,  a  lover 
of  horses,  is  a  pitiful  conceit.  But  it  is  pleasant,  nevertheless,  to 
impart  to  mahogany  some  of  the  properties  of  mind,  to  lift  up- 
holstery out  of  its  materiality,  and  make  it  the  medium  for  con- 
veying the  fancy  through  the  whole  range  of  time  and  space." 


DESIGN,   No.  XII. 


PLAN. 


A,  Store  Room.    B,  Wood  Room.    E,  Living  Room.    F,  Kitchen.    G,  Front  Entry.    H,  Parlor. 


DESIGN   NO.   XII. 


A     HOUSE     FOR     TWO     FAMILIES. 


It  is  sometimes  necessary  or  desirable  for  two  individuals  to 
construct  their  dwellings  under  one  roof.  Such  a  building  is  repre- 
sented in  this  design.  It  is  nearly  square  in  form,  and  a  brick 
partition  wall  in  the  centre  from  the  bottom  of  the  cellar  to  the 
ridge,  in  connection  with  the  chimneys,  prevents  all  communication 
of  sound  from  one  part  to  the  other ;  this  obviates  one  of  the 
objections  to  a  double  house. 

The  front  elevation  is  a  large  main  house,  thirty-seven  feet  front, 
with  two  wings,  six  and  one  half  feet  each,  the  entrance  to  both 
being  through  a  piazza.  There  are  two  bay-windows  in  the  first 
story,  two  large  French  windows  in  the  second,  and  two  circular- 
head  narrow  windows  in  the  attic.  A  large  bracketed  projection  and 
rustic  corners  give  to  the  building  a  finished  appearance. 

The  main  house  is  thirty -eight  by  thirty-seven  feet ;  on  the  first 
floor  of  each  dwelling  are  a  parlor,  sitting  room,  kitchen,  china- 
closet,  pantry,  store-room,  and  front  entry;  on  the  second  floor, 
one  large  square  chamber  and  two  small,  with  closets,  and  a  Large 
entry;  two  large  chambers  in  each  attic. 

A  house  of  this  description  will  be  warmer  in  winter  than  a 
single  one,  and  the  upper  part  can  be  more  effectually  ventilated. 
The  entrance  to  the  dwellings,  in  the  front  and  rear,  being  entirely 
distinct,  a  fence  in  the  centre  will  effectually  separate  the  premises 
of  the  occupants.  The  estimated  cost  of  such  a  house,  including 
the  cellar,  is  four  thousand  dollars. 


in 


XIII. 

INTERIOR  CONVENIENCES. 

There  are  not  many  persons  who  are  fully  acquainted  with  their 
own  wants.  This  fact  is  illustrated  in  the  case  of  the  farmer  who 
uses  an  old-fashioned  plow  for  all  his  labor  upon  the  soil,  and  in 
the  case  of  the  housewife  who  uses  no  ice  in  the  preparation  of 
her  butter.  Those  who  are  satisfied  with  antiquated  ways  and 
means,  and  who  do  not  wish  to  improve  them,  are  not  acquainted 
with  their  own  wants.  The  farmer  who  looks  upon  his  old  barn, 
that  admits  the  wind  and  rain  through  a  thousand  chinks  and 
crevices  in  the  side-boarding,  as  a  model,  and  who  considers  that  the 
best  method  of  ventilation,  does  not  know  his  own  wants.  Another 
who  owns  five  hundred  acres  of  land  and  who  expends  all  his  sur- 
plus capital  in  adding  to  the  number  of  those  acres,  instead  of  using 
it  to  improve  the  condition  of  his  farm,  does  not  know  his  own 
wants.  The  housekeeper  who  continues  to  use  an  open  fire-place 
for  all  her  cooking  purposes,  in  winter  as  well  as  in  summer,  where 
the  seasons  are  cold  and  fuel  is  scarce,  who  has  no  special  apart- 
ment for  her  wardrobe,  and  who  is  .satisfied  to  see  all  the  different 
articles  of  the  chamber  and  kitchen  distributed  miscellaneously  about 
the  house,  does  not  know  her  own  wants.  Hundreds  of  similar 
examples  might  be  adduced  to  prove  this  position. 

It  is  often  said  that  if  one  is  well  satisfied  and  contented  with 

his  limited    accommodations,   he    is    as  well    situated   as  if   all   his 

unknown  wants  were  supplied.     This  remark  will  apply  to  all  those 

wants  which  are  the  result  of  whim  and  caprice,  but  not  to  those 

which    materially    affect    our   comfort   and    convenience.      It   would 

apply  to  mere   matters   of  taste   and   fancy,  but  not  to  the   actual 

necessities  of  life.     If  Mrs.  B.  is  perfectly  well   satisfied  to  wear  a 

neat,  and  comfortable  dress,  made  of  an  unfashionable  material,  and 

prefers  it  to  a  fashionable  one  which  would   be  more  expensive,  but 

no  more  useful,  she  is  better  for  not  understanding  the  peculiar  value 

of  the  more  fashionable  article.     But  if  she  is  in  the  habit  of  making 

119 


INTERIOR   CONVENIENCES.  113 

poor  butter,  and  of  losing  her  milk  by  its  souring  in  hot  weather, 
because  she  has  no  ice  and  does  not  know  the  value  of  it,  she  is 
not  so  well  off  as  if  she  knew  her  wants  in  this  respect.  "We  must 
first  understand  our  own  wants,  that  we  may  be  supplied  with  a 
motive  to  use  the  proper  means  of  gratifying  them.  By  visiting  a 
neighbor's  house  we  sometimes  observe  a  convenience  which  sug- 
gests an  improvement  in  our  own  household  arrangements,  by  which 
a  great  amount  of  domestic  labor  might  be  saved.  A  house  may 
be  very  well  constructed,  and,  architecturally  speaking,  well  planned, 
and  yet  be  greatly  deficient  in  many  little  accommodations,  of  which 
a  housewife  knows  only  by  experience,  and  which  the  designer  of 
the  house  must  have  learned  from  the  experience  of  similar  persons. 

A  house  may  look  very  well  on  a  plan,  and  yet  be  found  incon- 
venient when  we  become  the  occupant  of  it;  because  when  we 
look  on  a  plan  we  are  apt  to  be  governed  by  our  ideas  of  beauty 
and  proportion,  rather  than  by  our  sense  of  utility  and  convenience. 
One  of  the  most  important  principles  of  interior  arrangement,  is  the 
disposing  of  the  rooms  in  such  relative  positions  that  the  work  of 
the  family  may  be  done  with  the  least  possible  amount  of  labor. 
In  one  way  or  another,  the  kitchen  must  be  accessible  to  the  dining 
room ;  and  it  ought  also  to  be  widely  separated  from  the  parlor 
and  the  sleeping-rooms,  because  the  odors  which  proceed  from  it 
are  offensive  when  communicated  to  the  bed-clothes  or  the  ward- 
robes. The  kitchen  ought  likewise  to  have  separate  closets  for  the 
different  articles  which  are  used  in  that  apartment.  There  should 
be  one  for  a  larder,  to  be  used  for  groceries ;  another  for  earthen 
and  wooden  ware ;  and  another  for  iron  ware.  All  such  articles 
should  be  contiguous  to  the  kitchen,  if  not  in  the  room ;  for  if  any 
one  be  distant  from  it,  considerable  time,  in  the  aggregate,  must  be 
consumed  in  passing  back  and  forth  to  obtain  the  article  required. 

It  may  be  well  to  allude  in  this  place  to  a  want  which  is  sup- 
plied in  very  few  houses  in  our  land,  but  which  is  of  so  much 
consequence  that  no  housekeeper  would  be  willing  to  dispense  with 
it  after  having  experienced  the  advantages  arising  from  it.  We 
allude  to  a  summer  kitchen,  or  a  room  set  apart  from  the  other 
rooms  of  the  house,  separated  perhaps  by  a  wood-shed  or  a  well- 
room,  and  in  which  the  cooking  for  the  family  might  be  performed 
during  all  the  warm  months  of  the  year,  when  the  heat  of  the  kitchen 

15 


114  INTERNAL   CONVENIENCES. 

fire  annoys  the  inmates  of  the  house.  Such  a  room  would  save 
a  great  deal  of  inconvenience  arising  from  the  heat,  and  it  could  be 
so  situated  as  to  be  entirely  open  when  it  is  necessary;  whereas 
the  ordinary  kitchen  of  the  house  is  made  contiguous  to  the  other 
rooms,  and  cannot  be  heated  without  communicating  its  heat  to  the 
adjoining  rooms.  This  summer  kitchen  might  be  used  for  a  store- 
room in  the  winter,  and  for  other  needful  purposes. 

A  cellar  kitchen,  for  the  ordinary  purposes  to  which  a  kitchen  is 
devoted,  is  an  inconvenient  contrivance.  The  labor  of  a  family  is 
always  increased  by  the  multiplication  of  rooms  which  are  accessible 
only  by  a  flight  of  stairs.  The  transportation  of  various  articles, 
back  and  forth,  from  the  kitchen  and  the  living-room,  when  they 
are  separated  by  a  stairway,  is  a  needless  addition  to  the  labors  of 
housekeeping,  and  exposes  the  housewife  and  servants  to  accidents  in 
passing  up  and  down.  In  this  country  it  is  an  important  object  to 
save  labor,  especially  the  labor  of  the  household.  The  employments 
of  cooking,  washing,  ironing,  and  other  labors,  are  a  severe  task 
upon  those  who  have  them  to  perform.  The  expense  of  an  addition- 
al servant  might  be  rendered  necessary  by  some  important  fault  in 
the  arrangement  of  the  rooms  of  the  house,  and  by  the  absence  of 
some  modern  conveniences.  It  is  plain  to  any  person,  that  of  two 
houses,  each  containing  seven  rooms,  one  of  two  stories  with  three 
rooms  above  and  four  below  on  one  floor,  and  the  other  of  three 
stories  with  two  rooms  in  each,  and  a  cellar  kitchen  in  a  basement, 
the  same  labor  might  be  performed  with  vastly  more  ease  in  the 
former  than  in  the  latter.  This  difference  in  the  arrangement  of  the 
rooms,  other  things  being  equal,  might  render  an  additional  servant 
necessary. 

We  have  remarked  that  the  labor  of  a  family  is  increased  by  the 
multiplication  of  rooms  which  are  accessible  only  by  a  flight  of 
stairs.  Still  there  are  many  houses  that  would  be  made  more 
convenient  by  an  additional  staircase.  It  is  the  height  of  absurdity 
to  oblige  the  inmates  of  the  house  to  pass  through  other  rooms,  or 
through  a  long  passage-way,  from  the  front  stairs,  to  obtain  entrance 
to  a  back  chamber,  instead  of  providing  a  flight  of  back  stairs.  It  is 
a  bad  contrivance,  or  arrangement,  which  renders  it  necessary  to  pass 
through  one  room  to  find  entrance  to  another;  and  although  this 
inconvenience  cannot,  in  most  cases,  be  entirely  avoided,  great  im- 


INTERNAL    CONVENIENCES.  115 

provements  might  be  made  in  this  respect  upon  the  plan  of  the 
majority  of  dwelling-houses.  There  ought  always  to  be  a  passage 
through  the  house  from  the  front  door  to  the  back  door,  without 
passing  through  one  of  the  rooms,  though  this  passage  may  be  closed 
by  a  door.  The  advantages  of  such  an  arrangement  are  too  obvious 
to  require  to  be  enumerated. 

In  all  model  houses  which  are  built  at  the  present  day,  a  con- 
trivance by  which  water  may  be  conveyed  directly  into  the  kitchen, 
if  into  no  other  rooms,  is  considered  indispensable.  In  the  country, 
people  are  apt  to  set  too  low  a  value  on  the  importance  of  these 
labor-saving  accommodations.  It  is  no  small  task,  however,  to  leave 
the  house  to  go  out  several  yards  from  the  back  door  to  a  pump  or  a 
well,  whenever  a  pail  of  water  is  needed,  especially  in  bad  weather. 
It  may  often  happen  too  that  this  is  required  to  be  done  at  the  risk 
of  the  health.  The  time  saved  by  a  good  pump  in  the  kitchen  is  a 
matter  of  no  mean  consideration,  even  if  we  allow,  as  many  suppose, 
that  the  saving  of  health  and  labor  is  of  no  consequence.  Still,  we 
would  not  be  understood  to  be  in  favor  of  dispensing  with  the  old- 
fashioned  white-oak  pump  in  the  door-yard. 

There  are  very  many  practical  men  and  women  who  are  strangely 
ignorant  of  practical  labor-saving  improvements  in  the  interior  ac- 
commodations of  a  dwelling-house.  Some  people  consider  them- 
selves practical  because  they  are  ignorant.  A  man  learns  to  handle 
tools  and  to  perform  skilfully  certain  manual  and  mechanical  opera- 
tions ;  he  has  learned  to  handle  an  axe  and  a  plane ;  he  can  swing  a 
scythe,  and  hold  a  plow ;  he  can  build  fences  and  he  can  scatter  grain ; 
and  he  flatters  himself  that  he  is  a  practical  man,  though  he  is  unable 
to  impart  any  valuable  information,  and  is  very  ignorant.  The  truth 
is  he  is  only  a  mechanical  man.  There  are  many  farmers  in  our  land 
of  this  description.  An  intelligent  clerk  from  the  city  will  go  out 
into  the  country,  a  perfect  novice  in  all  matters  appertaining  to  a 
farm,  commence  the  business  of  farming,  and  in  one  year  he  will 
have  obtained  more  practical  knowledge  than  two  thirds  of  these 
mechanical  men  have  acquired  in  a  lifetime.  One  great  bar  to  the 
improvement  of  our  mechanics  and  farmers,  is  the  habit  of  mistaking 
their  mechanical  tact  for  practical  knowledge. 


DESIGN,   No.  XIII 


PLAN. 


A,  Store  Room.    B,  Kitchen.    C,  Dining  Room.    D,  China  Closet.    E,  Store  Room.    P,  Wood  Room. 
I,  Front  Piazza.    J,  Front  Hall.    K,  Living  Room.    L,  Library.    M,  Tartar.    N,  Back  Piazza 


DESIGN  NO.  XIII. 

SUBURBAN  RESIDENCE  FOR  A  LARGE  FAMILY. 

The  present  design  is  calculated  for  a  suburban  residence  and  will 
be  ample  and  convenient  for  a  large  family.  The  first  floor  contains 
a  large  parlor  and  sitting  room,  with  a  sleeping-room  adjoining ;  an 
entrance  hall,  two  front  doors  and  a  staircase.  The  back  portion  has 
a  large  dining-room  with  a  store  closet  and  china-closet ;  a  spacious 
kitchen,  containing  a  dish  closet,  communicating  with  the  china- 
closet,  and  a  large  pantry.  There  is  a  flight  of  back  stairs  and  a 
wood-room  adjoining  the  back  door. 

A  house  made  after  this  plan  is  adapted  to  be  placed  on  a  corner 
lot,  showing  two  fronts,  and  so  arranged  as  to  afford  a  carriage 
entrance  on  both  streets,  passing  round  the  building  in  a  circular 
course.  The  bold  and  handsome  front  which  it  presents  on  three 
sides,  in  connection  with  the  large  brackets,  which  support  the 
projection,  gives  the  whole  an  imposing  appearance. 

The  piazzas  which  are  represented  on  two  sides,  are  convenient  as 
well  as  ornamental. 

The  second  floor  contains  three  large  sleeping-rooms,  a  hall,  a 
staircase  and  a  clothes  closet  in  each  chamber.  The  back  portion 
has  one  large  sleeping-room  over  the  china-closet  and  storeroom ; 
also  a  bathing-room,  and  four  small  sleeping-rooms  and  entry.  Two 
of  these  may  be  warmed  by  stoves  and  the  two  others  by  heat  from 
the  range. 

The  third  story  of  the  main  house  contains  three  large  sleeping- 
rooms,  a  large  entry  or  hall  and  a  cistern  room.  In  all  there  are 
twelve  sleeping-rooms  —  the  smallest  10  by  12  feet ;  the  largest  19 
by  16  feet. 

Many  first  class  houses,  which  are  large  and  expensive,  have  not 
more  than  six  or  seven  sleeping-rooms,  and  some  of  these  are  in  an 
attic,  under  a  slated  roof,  often  so  extremely  heated  in  summer  as  to 
raise  the  thermometer  to  90°  or  100°  at  sunset.  Such  apartments 
never  should  be  occupied  as  sleeping-rooms,  in  hot  weather. 

119 


120 


ESTIMATE    FOR   DESIGN   NO.    XIII. 


When  preparing  to  build  a  house  of  this  description,  the  first  and 
most  important  point  to  be  settled,  is  to  obtain  the  best  set  of  plans. 
Do  not  be  hasty  in  the  selection,  but  examine  them  all  in  various 
ways.  Make  pencil  sketches  of  various  designs,  compare  them,  and 
consider  well  their  adaptedness  to  your  own  peculiar  wants.  When 
you  have  selected  a  design  an  Architect  should  prepare  all  the 
working  drawings,  specifications  and  other  necessary  items,  after 
which  the  superintendent  can  proceed  without  any  of  those  altera- 
tions which  often  materially  increase  the  expense  of  the  building. 


ESTIMATE   FOR   DESIGN  NO.   XIII 

8,000  feet  square  timber,  $15.00  per  M. 

8,500     "     deep  joist,  15.00       " 

24,500     "     common  boards,  17.00        " 

3,500     "     studding,  3X4  and  2x4,  15.00        « 

3,000     "     partition  lumber,  3x4  and  2x3,    15.00        " 
Framing,  boarding,  and  under  floors,        .... 
3,170  square  feet  tinned  roof,  10  cents  per  foot, 
Setting  partition,  and  preparing  for  plastering, 
Furring,  lathing  for  back  plastering,     .... 
1,70D  yards  of  plastering,  28  cents  per  yard, . 
3  brick  chimneys,  lead  and  fixtures, 
175  feet  of  projection,  finish  and  brackets,    . 
129     "     "   small  projections,  and  modillions,     . 
50     "     "   piazza,  $3.50  per  foot,         .... 
2,500  clapboards,  planed  and  laid,  $9  per  hundred,      . 
Finish  of  corners,  outside  doors,  &c,        .         .         ... 

42  windows,  finished  out  and  inside,  $12.50  each, 

43  doors,  trimmed  and  finished  both  sides,  $8  each, 
Base  finish,  closets,  &c,        ...... 

5,000  feet  of  clear  boards,  $35  per  M 

Front  stairs  $175,  back  stairs  $40,      .... 
1,200  lbs.  nails,  4|  cents  per  lb.,     ..... 
Laying  floors,         ........ 

6  marble  chimney  pieces,  $30  each,  4  shelves  and  brackets 
6  hard-coal  grates,  $12  each,        ..... 
2  soap-stone  fire-places,  and  hearths,        .... 


.  $120.00 
.     127.50 

416.50 

.       52.50 

45.00 

.     250.00 

317.00 
.       85.00 

125.00 
.     476.00 

125.00 

.     175.00 

85.00 

.     175.00 

225.00 
.     100.00 

525.00 
.     344.00 

200.00 
.     175.00 

215.00 
.       57.00 

126.00 

$9  ea.     216.00 

72.00 

.       40.00 


CARPENTER'S  SPECIFICATIONS  —  DESIGN  NO.  XIII.  121 

Painting  3  coats,  inside  and  out,           ......  400.00 

Bathing  room,  hot  water  back,  boiler,  pipes,  &c.      ....  600.00 

Pumps,  well,  reservoir,  cistern,  and  fixtures,         ....  500.00 

Digging  cellar,  and  grading,     ........  150.00 

Stone  work, 450.00 


$6969.40 


CARPENTER'S   SPECIFICATIONS. 

Dimensions.  —  The  main  house  is  35  feet  square  on  the  ground;  the  L 
part  43x£4  feet. 

Stories.  —  The  cellar  to  be  8  feet;  the  first  story  10^  feet,  the  second 
9^,  and  the  third  8  feet  in  the  highest  part  and  7  in  the  lowest,  all  in  the 
clear.     The  L  part,  first  story  9  feet,  second  story  8  feet,  in  the  clear. 

Timber.  —  The  sills,  corner  posts,  and  plates,  7x7,  all  cross  timbers 
7x9,  centre  posts,  girts,  and  trimmers  4X9.  All  the  deep  joist  in  main 
house,  first  floor  2X10  inches,  second  and  third  floors  2x9,  roof  2x9,  and 
extend  over  for  projection  to  form  the  jut.  Deep  joist  in  L  part,  2x9  first 
floor,  2X8  second  floor,  and  2X8  for  roof,  and  form  the  projection. 

Roof.  —  The  roof  to  be  covered  with  sound  pine  or  hemlock  boards, 
jointed  and  matched,  thoroughly  dry  before  put  on,  and  well  nailed  with 
lOd  nails.  To  be  tinned  with  the  best  roofing  tin,  well  soldered  and  made 
water-tight.  All  the  gutters  to  be  formed  on  the  top  of  the  roofs,  with  2£ 
inch  tin  conductors  to  convey  the  water  to  the  ground  or  cistern. 

Clapboard  in  o.  —  Extra  No.  1  thick  pine  clapboards,  well  dried,  planed, 
and  put  on  in  the  best  manner;  laid  not  more  than  4|-  inches  to  the 
weather. 

Projection.  —  The  projection  to  be  3  feet  with  fascia  and  cornice  mould, 
according  to  plans;  dentals  under  cornice  to  the  main  house.  The  under 
side  of  projection  sheathed  with  sound  pine  lumber,  jointed  and  matched 
narrow  boards.  The  frieze  to  be  sheathed  in  the  best  manner  with  kiln- 
dried  pure  pine  lumber,  \  inch  thick.  Large  brackets  according  to  draw- 
ing, 6  inches  thick;  double  face  of  good  dry  lumber  well  glued  up.  The 
projection  to  the  L  15  inches,  with  small  brackets,  bead  mould,  and  fascia; 
piazza  to  have  12  inch  projections,  finished  as  above,  with  two  bracketed 
columns  to  each  piazza ;   plain  sheathing  over  head. 

Windows.  —  There  will  be   five  double   windows,  two  to   extend  to  the 

floor  in  the  dining  room ;    all  the  windows  to  have  hard  pine  stiles,  l£  inch 

face,  8  inches  wide,  with  large  band   mould,  with  projecting  dental  cap,  all 
11 


122  CARPENTERS   SPECIFICATIONS — DESIGN  NO.  XIII. 

well  secured  with  lead  and  made  water-tight;  3  inch  stool  piece  of  hard 
pine ;  stops  screwed  on.  Inside  fini.-h,  7  inch  double  architrave  and  band 
mould ;  the  L  part  to  have  plain  5  inch  pilasters  round  doors  and  windows. 
All  the  doors  in  the  front  part  finished  the  same  as  windows.  Panels  under 
all  the  windows  in  the  first  story  of  main  house. 

Window  Sash  —  To  be  If  inch  thick,  made  of  pure  pine  lumber,  kiln- 
dried,  and  made  in  the  best  manner.  All  the  sash  to  be  double  hung  with 
weights,  hemp  cord,  and  pulleys. 

Glass  —  To  be  the  English  crown,  14X18  in  the  main  house,  and 
11X15  first  quality  German,  in  the  L  part;  all  to  be  set  in  oil  putty  in 
the  best  manner. 

Doors. — All  the  doors  in  the  first  two  stories  of  the  main  house  to  be 
7  feet  by  3  feet,  and  \\  inch  thick,  4  paneled,  moulded  on  both  sides,  with 
circular  moulding  at  each  end  of  panel,  and  carved  corners ;  the  bottom 
panel  just  square,  the  moulding  a  true  circle ;  all  to  be  well  finished,  stained, 
and  varnished.  The  remainder  of  the  doors  to  be  7  feet  by  2  feet  10  inches, 
1^  inch  thick,  4  paneled,  moulded  on  both  sides,  and  all  to  be  made  of  pure 
pine,  kiln-dried  lumber,  finished  in  the  best  manner,  stained  and  varnished 
Two  outside  doors  to  be  7  feet  6  inches  by  3  feet  3  inches,  and  2  inches 
thick. 

Trimmings.  —  All  the  doors  in  the  first  two  stories  of  the  main  house  to 
be  trimmed  with  the  best  mortice  locks,  solid  eight  square  flint  glass  knobs 
with  plated  trimmings,  hinged  with  finished  loose  jointed  butts,  varnished, 
not  painted.  The  remainder  of  the  doors  to  be  trimmed  with  mortice  locks 
worth  37  cents  each,  mineral  knobs,  white  trimmings,  and  hinged  with  3^- 
inch  loose  butts ;   a  night  lock  on  one  of  the  front  doors. 

Stairs.  —  The  front  to  have  two  flights ;  the  bottom  newel  to  be  10  inch 
eight  square,  with  3^  inch  worked  rail ;  turned  4  inch  newels  where  wanted, 
to  the  third  story ;  the  cap  to  each  newel  worked  on  each  rail  with  ease-off". 
The  baluster,  1^  inch  in  diameter,  to  be  turned  of  the  same  pattern  as  the 
small  newels ;  the  steps  to  be  1^  inch  thick,  with  bracket  on  stringer.  The 
newels,  rail,  and  balusters,  to  be  close-grained,  light-colored  mahogany,  thor- 
oughly seasoned.  The  back  stairs  to  be  partitioned  on  both  sides,  with  plain 
base,  hard  pine  steps,  and  hand-rail.  Cellar  stairs  to  have  hard  pine  steps, 
plank  stringers,  and  to  be  well  put  up. 

Base.  —  All  the  principal  rooms  and  entries  will  have  9  inch  plinth  and 
base  mould  3^  inch  wide,  well  put  down,  of  the  best  clear  pine  lumber. 
The  remainder  of  the  house  to  have  plain  base  9  inches  wide,  bevel  top  \ 
inch  thick,  all  put  down  before  floors  are  laid.     Plain  base  to  all  the  closets. 

Floors.  —  The  floors   are  to  be  laid  with   sound  narrow  kiln-dried  pine 


carpenter's  SPECIFICATIONS  —  DESIGN  NO.  XIII.  123 

or  spruce  lumber,  §  inch  thick,  put  down  in  the  best  manner,  nailed  with 
lOd  floor  nails.  The  kitchen  floor  to  be  Southern  hard  pine,  kiln-dried ;  all 
the  thresholds  to  be  hard  wood,  cherry  or  birch. 

Closets.  —  All  the  closets  to  be  shelved  in  the  best  manner;  hard  wood 
strips  in  them  all  for  coat  and  hat  pins ;  two  sets  of  drawers  to  china-closet 
and  store-room,  made  *>f  spruce  or  white  wood ;  two  sets  of  drawers  in  the 
kitchen  pantry. 

Covering.  —  The  walls  are  to  be  covered  with  sound  dry  pine  or  hem- 
lock, planed  to  a  thickness  and  matched,  well  put  on,  and  thoroughly  nailed 
with  lOd  nails;  a  strip  of  tarred  paper  to  be  put  under  all  the  window 
frames  and  trimmings. 

Back  Plastering  —  To  be  furred  with  strips  of  boards  between  every 
stud,  so  that  the  plastering  will  be  in  the  centre  of  the  space,  16  inches 
from  centres,  and  lathed  perpendicularly,  and  plastered  with  one  coat  of 
good  lime,  coarse  sand,  and  hair  moitar;  to  be  well  smoothed  and  made 
air-tight  throughout  the  walls  of  the  house. 

Furred  Ceilings.  —  All  the  ceilings  in  the  house  to  be  furred  crosswise 
of  the  joist,  12  inches  from  centres  in  the  main  part,  and  16  inches  from 
centres  in  the  third  story  and  L  part. 

Partitions  —  In  the  main  house  to  be  3  inches  thick;  3x4  lumber  for 
door-jams,  and  2x3  for  partitions;  to  be  12  inches  from  centres;  one  course 
of  bridging  in  the  remainder  of  the  house  to  be  set  16  inches  from  centres 
and  bridged. 

Lathing  and  Plastering.  —  To  be  lathed  with  the  best  pine  l£  inch 
laths  not  less  than  f  inch  thick,  and  plastered  with  two  coats  of  the  best 
lime,  coarse  sand,  and  sound  hair  mortar,  and  hard  finished  in  the  best 
manner  throughout  the  whole  house.  Two  base  grounds  and  plastered  be- 
tween them  in  the  main  house. 

Chimneys.  —  Three  chimneys,  commencing  at  the  bottom  of  the  cellar  and 
extending  from  five  to  eight  feet  above  the  roof,  built  of  good  hard  burned 
bricks  and  best  lime  mortar;  to  be  20  inches  by  3  feet,  and  topped  out  24 
inches  by  3  feet  4  inches.  Each  coal-grate  will  be  set  independent  of  the 
main  flue,  and  entering  directly  back  into  the  main  flue ;  the  flue  not  to  be 
contracted  in  any  place  whatever,  and  plastered  perfectly  smooth  from  the 
bottom  to  the  top.  Soapstone  fire-places  are  to  be  set,  the  back-piece  directly 
against  the  shaft  of  the  chimney,  and  at  the  proper  height  the  flue  should 
be  set  into  the  brick  work,  with  a  dumper  sufficient  to  entirely  close  it,  if 
necessary.  Cast  iron  rings  and  lids  to  be  set  in  the  brick  work,  flush  with 
the  plastering,  in  each  of  the  upper  chambers  and  hack  chambers. 

Range.  —  The  most  approved  cooking  range,  with  hot  water  back,  clothes 


124:  caepentee's  SPECIFICATIONS  —  DESIGN  NO.  XIII. 

boiler  and  hot  water  boiler  for  baths,  to  be  placed  in  the  kitchen  ;  hot  air 
pipe  from  the  range  to  the  chamber  over  head  and  register.  All  the  neces- 
sary pipes  and  fixtures  to  convey  hot  and  cold  water  to  the  bathing  room, 
and  at  least  four  other  rooms  in  the  house.  The  cistern  will  be  placed  in 
the  corner  of  the  main  house  over  the  bathing  and  dining  ro^ms,  in  the 
third  story.  Each  room  to  have  a  marble  slab  and  porcelain  wash-basins 
and  plated  water-faucets. 

"Water  Pipes.  —  The  water  will  be  conveyed  from  the  main  roof  into 
the  cistern  in  the  cistern  room,  and  a  pipe  will  convey  the  surplus  water  to 
the  cistern  in  the  cellar.  A  suitable  force-pump  to  force  water  from  the 
lower  cistern  to  the  upper,  to  be  placed  in  the  kitchen.  A  suitable  cast- 
iron  enameled  or  soapstone  sink  in  the  kitchen  5  feet  long,  22  inches  wide ; 
suitable  cocks  to  draw  hot  or  cold  water  into  the  sink  and  wash  tubs. 

Painting. —  Inside,  the  first  coat  with  white  lead,  in  linseed  oil;  the  last 
two  coats  with  Paris  zinc  white  and  linseed  oil ;  dead  coat  in  the  main  house, 
and  one  coat  of  lead,  and  one  of  zinc  in  the  L  part ;  all  to  be  varnished 
with  white  copal  varnish.  All  the  mahogany  part  of  the  stairs  to  be  oiled 
and  varnished  and  well  finished.  The  pulley  stiles  to  be  oiled  two  coats; 
the  kitchen  floor  to  be  oiled  and  varnished. 

Stone  Work  and  Excavation  of  Cellar.—  All  the  soil  should  be 
taken  off  in  the  first  place  and  placed  where  it  is  most  needed  to  fill  up 
and  level  the  grounds ;  then  take  the  second  stratum,  or  subsoil,  by  itself, 
and  so  on,  keeping  each  grade  separate,  some  being  good  for  shrubbery 
grounds  and  some  more  suitable  for  roads;  each  part  should  be  placed 
where  most  needed  in  the  first  move,  to  save  expense. 

Stone  Work.  —  A  course  of  large  stones  should  always  be  placed  firmly 
on  the  bottom,  well  fitted  down,  to  support  the  wall  for  every  foundation 
of  a  good  building;  as  the  wall  progresses  it  should  be  backed  up  and 
filled  solid  with  gravel  or  hard-pan;  the  last  two  feet  should  always  be 
filled  with  coarse  gravel  to  prevent  the  frost  from  affecting  the  wall  and 
racking  the  building ;  a  course  of  gravel  5  or  6  inches  is  sufficient.  There 
should  be  a  top  course  of  large  stone  to  place  the  underpinning  on,  about 
14  inches  wide,  well  chinked  and  mortared  on  both  sides. 

Underpinning.  —  There  should  be  good  split  underpinning,  2  feet  wide, 
7  inches  thick,  well  sill-edged  and  headed  and  jointed,  set  in  the  best  man- 
ner. There  should  be  a  course  of  hard  burnt  bricks  and  mortar  inside  of 
the  underpinning,  one  inch  space  between,  to  prevent  frost  penetrating  to 
the  inside.  There  should  be  an  8-inch  brick  wall  to  divide  the  cellars, 
under  the  outside  line  of  front  entry,  with  passage  doors ;  should  there  be  a 
furnace,  it  ought  to  be  placed  directly  under  the  front  entry. 


carpenter's  SPECIFICATIONS  —  DESIGN  NO.   XIII.  125 

Cistern.  —  The  rain  water  cistern  should  be  built  under  the  china-closet 
and  store  room;  to  be  18X10  feet  in  the  clear,  and  9  feet  deep;  the 
bottom  should  be  bedded  4  inches  deep  with  fine  rubble,  and  water-lime 
cement  made  very  soft  and  poured  on  and  tamped  while  soft,  and  then  a 
level  coat  of  mortar  smoothed  over,  and  a  single  course  of  hard  bricks  laid 
in  cement  over  the  whole,  and  then  plastered  thoroughly  with  cement.  The 
face  of  the  stone  wall  should  be  thoroughly  plastered  with  water  lime,  and 
after  it  is  set  lay  a  4-inch  course  of  bricks  in  cement  and  plaster  the  whole 
surface.  The  inside  wall  to  be  laid  in  cement,  and  hard  burnt  bricks ;  8- 
inch  wall  with  buttress  in  the  centre,  outside,  to  prevent  spreading;  all  to 
be  built  as  high  as  the  under  side  of  the  first  flooring ;  the  wall  should  be 
plastered  with  cement  thoroughly,  and  a  lining  of  bricks  laid  within  and 
another  coat  of  plastering  on  that  lining,  which  makes  a  lasting  water-tight 
reservoir.  A  single  course  of  heart  pine  boards,  jointed  and  matched,  should 
be  placed  over  the  whole  to  keep  the  dampness  from  the  timbers,  and  all 
should  be  well  ventilated. 


XIV. 

ON  THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  BARNS. 

"  A  merciful  man  is  merciful  to  his  beast."  Even  if  we  had 
not  scriptural  authority  for  this  saying,  we  should  not  doubt  the 
truth  of  it.  But  there  are  other  considerations  besides  those  of 
mercy,  which  should  lead  us  to  provide  for  the  comfort  and  wel- 
fare of  our  domestic  animals  ;  since"  it  is  an  established  principle 
that  the  ends  of  economy  as  well  as  of  mercy  are  promoted  by 
providing  good  shelter,  good  food,  and  sufficient  ventilation,  for 
our  flocks  and  herds.  The  construction  of  barns  is,  therefore,  as 
important  a  subject  of  study  as  the  construction  of  our  dwelling- 
houses,  as  far  as  it  respects  economy.  In  treating  this  subject  we 
must  first  consider  what  is  the  most  economical  material  for  the 
construction  of  barns :  secondly,  the  best  form  and  interior  arrange- 
ment, and,  lastly,  the  best  mode  of  ventilation.  Warmth  and 
shelter  in  winter,  and  coolness  and  quiet  in  summer,  are  essen- 
tial not  only  to  the  comfort  of  domestic  animals,  but  are  favorable 
to  economy  in  the  keeping  of  them.  It  is  believed  by  men  who 
are  experienced  in  the  rearing  of  cattle,  that  they  ought  to  be 
housed  a  part  of  every  day  in  the  year.  A  barn  or  stable  that 
is  properly  ventilated  would  afford  these  creatures  partial  security 
from  the  attacks  of  insects  and  a  retreat  from  the  beams  of  the 
hot  summer  sun,  as  well  as  a  shelter  from  the  cold  in  winter. 
In  certain  situations,  where  trees  are  wanting,  a  noonday  retreat 
under  some  kind  of  a  roof  is  very  necessary  to  the  comfort  and 
health  of  animals. 

With  respect  to  the  best  material  for  the  construction  of  barns, 
brick  and  stone  possess  many  superiorities  over  wood.  But  the 
same  building  that  shelters  the  animals  must  be  used  also  for  a 
granary,  and  for  the  storage  of  hay  and  fodder.  It  is  questionable 
whether  the  dampness  that  is  condensed  upon  the  inside  of  brick 
and  stone  walls  may  not  be  injurious  to  hay  and  grain.  This  evil, 
however,  may  be  obviated   by  contrivances   already  mentioned   in 

126 


ON  THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  BARNS.  127 

the  chapter  in  this  volume  on  materials  for  dwelling-houses.  But 
different  materials  may  be  used  for  different  parts  of  the  building, 
and  we  may  thereby  combine  the  advantages  of  wood  and  stone, 
or  brick.  The  lower  part  might  be  made  of  brick  or  stone  for  the 
lodging  of  cattle,  and  the  upper  part  of  wood  for  the  storage  of 
hay  and  grain. 

This  is  the  custom  in  some  parts  of  Europe.  The  Germans 
build  the  basements  of  their  barns  of  stone,  having  a  cellar  beneath 
for  roots,  and  storage  above  for  hay  and  grain.  They  secure,  by 
this  arrangement,  all  the  desirable  conveniences  of  the  different 
farm  buildings,  under  one  roof.  This  arrangement  can  be  effected 
more  conveniently  if  the  barn  is  placed  on  a  hillside.  It  is  less 
expensive  to  keep  one  such  building  in  repair,  than  a  number  of 
buildings  spread  over  considerable  space,  according  to  the  English 
mode.  Hence,  though  the  first  cost  may  be  greater,  it  is  the  part 
of  a  wise  economy  to  concentrate  all  the  accommodation  of  different 
outbuildings  as  much  as  possible  under  one  roof. 

We  must  not  copy  too  closely  the  example  and  practice  of  foreign 
nations  in  these  matters,  since  no  part  of  Europe,  except  perhaps 
the  north-western  countries,  has  a  climate  resembling  ours.  Cattle 
in  our  climate  must  be  housed  the  most  of  the  time  from  the  mid- 
dle of  November  to  the  middle  of  May,  and  occasionally  during 
other  months.  In  England  they  require  but  very  little  shelter.  In 
that  country,  and  in  all  the  southern  parts  of  Europe,  the  root  crops 
are  fed  on  the  ground,  while  ours  must  be  carefully  stored  in  a  cellar. 
On  this  account,  while  sheds  only  are  required  in  Europe,  a  build- 
ing uniting  all  the  departments  of  barn  and  stable  conveniences 
under  one  roof,  is  necessary  in  this  country. 

The  best  form  of  a  barn  is  nearly  a  square.  A  barn  fifty  by  sixty 
feet  will  permit  the  packing  of  as  much  hay  as  can  be  packed  in 
a  long  barn  of  forty  by  one  hundred  feet.  This  principle  we  have 
more  fully  illustrated  and  exemplified  in  the  designs  of  barns  given 
in  this  volume.  It  is  only  in  a  square  building  that  ample  space  can 
be  obtained  for  the  storage  of  hay  in  the  centre,  and  for  cattle  stalls 
around  it.  A  square  building  is  more  easily  kept  warm,  and  having 
less  outside  surface  exposed  to  the  weather  in  proportion  to  its  in- 
terior dimensions,  it  may  proportionally  with  less  difficulty  be  de- 
fended from  its  influences.     It  may  be  expedient  however,  in  certain 


128  ON  THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  BARNS. 

situations,  to  accommodate  the  building  to  a  narrow  strip  of  land 
which  is  well  located  and  adapted  to  this  purpose  by  building  a  long 
barn.  A  good  principle  in  mechanics  must  necessarily  be  set  aside 
when  circumstances  render  it  inexpedient  to  adopt  it.  Thus,  in  a 
narrow  house  lot  in  town,  it  may  be  advisable  to  erect  a  high,  nar- 
row block  for  a  dwelling-house,  with  four  pairs  of  rooms,  contained 
in  four  stories.  But  in  all  cases  in  which  the  location  will  permit 
a  good  principle  in  mechanics  to  be  literally  carried  out,  it  should  be 
adopted. 

There  is  a  difference  of  opinion  with  regard  to  wooden  barns, 
concerning  the  closeness  of  the  outside  boarding.  Some  put  on 
the  boarding  double,  while  others  prefer  a  loose  construction,  to 
give  a  free  passage  to  the  air.  They  would  undoubtedly  become 
heated  more  readily  in  a  close  than  in  an  open  barn ;  but  if  the  hay 
be  well  cured,  and  the  air  of  the  barn  be  kept  dry  and  pure  by 
ventilation,  and  other  expedients,  it  will  keep  better  in  a  close  barn. 
A  close  barn,  without  some  mechanical  contrivance  for  ventilation, 
would  be  worse  than  the  worst  of  the  old-fashioned  loosely  boarded 
barns.  But  the  ways  and  means  of  securing  perfect  ventilation  are 
so  simple  and  attended  by  so  little  expense,  that  it  would  be  the 
height  of  folly  to  feuild  loosely  for  the  sake  of  effecting  this  import- 
ant object.  When  ventilation  is  effected  by  a  good  mechanical  con- 
trivance in  a  tight  barn,  it  does  not  interfere  with  the  warmth  of  the 
animals.  It  is  impossible,  on  the  other  hand,  to  keep  them  warm  in 
a  barn  that  is  loosely  boarded. 

The  modern  practice  of  putting  barn-doors  on  rollers  is  less  of  an 
improvement  than  it  was  at  first  supposed  to  be.  Though  such 
doors  admit  of  being  opened  a  few  inches  or  wider,  according  as  we 
wish,  and  are  not  exposed  to  injury  from  the  action  of  the  wind,  they 
are  very  liable  to  get  out  of  repair  and  to  be  frozen  so  that  they 
cannot  be  opened.  The  most  approved  barn-doors  of  the  present 
day  swing  into  the  barn.  A  barn  ought,  likewise,  in  all  cases  to  be 
provided  with  glass  windows,  to  admit  sufficient  light  to  allow  a 
man  to  work  in  it  in  cold  weather,  while  the  doors  are  closed,  and  to 
supply  the  animals  with  light,  which  is  one  of  the  necessaries  of 
their  life. 

With  regard  to  the  size  of  barns,  we  must  be  governed  by  the 
extent  of  the  farm  and  the  number  of  animals  to  be   kept.      In 


ON  THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  BARNS.  129 

New  England,  which  is  the  part  of  the  United  States  which  may  be 
particularly  denominated  the  grass-growing  region,  large  barns  are 
required  by  the  farmers,  not  merely  to  store  hay  for  their  own  use  but 
likewise  for  the  market.  The  grain  farms  of  the  "West  and  South 
do  not  require  so  large  barns  in  proportion  to  their  extent  as  the  grass 
farms  of  New  England.  The  largest  barns  are  required  by  those 
who  raise  a  great  deal  of  hay  and  a  great  deal  of  stock.  Hence, 
they  are  particularly  requisite  on  large  dairy  farms.  Larger  bams, 
likewise,  are  required  for  the  same  purposes  at  the  North  than  at  the 
South,  where  a  smaller  quantity  of  hay  is  necessary  to  be  stored  for 
the  animals,  which  are  fed  to  a  greater  extent  on  roots  than  at  the 
North. 

Still  it  must  be  considered  that  the  farms  in  New  England  are 
smaller  than  those  in  any  other  section  of  the  country,  averaging 
perhaps  a  hundred  acres  in  Massachusetts,  and  a  thousand  acres  in 
the  South  and  West.  Hence  the  majority  of  our  New  England 
farmers  do  not  need  a  barn  that  would  cost  more  than  from  six 
hundred  to  a  thousand  dollars.  And  here  we  would  remark,  that 
farmers  should  be  put  oh  their  guard  against  laying  out  extravagant 
sums  for  the  sake  of  making  their  barns  "  artistic "  and  elegant 
structures.  They  have,  in  general,  but  little  capital ;  and  this  should 
be  used  for  increasing  the  conveniences,  and  arrangements  for  the 
comfort  of  the  animals,  rather  than  for  improving  the  mere  outside 
appearance.  We  have  contended  that  decorations  are  useless  on  a 
dwelling-house  :  they  are  utterly  senseless  on  a  barn. 


DESIGN,   No.  XIV. 


PLAN. 


A,  Living  Room.    B,  Store  Room.    C,  Kitchen.    E,  Wood  Room.    G,  Parlor. 


DESIGN   NO.   XIV. 


A      COTTAGE      AND      STABLE, 


Houses  of  the  description  represented  in  this  design  are  becoming 
numerous  in  the  country.  Although  small  they  afford  many  con- 
veniences, and  the  cost  of  construction  is  not  so  large  as  to  place 
them  beyond  the  reach  of  mechanics  or  farmers. 

The  large  double  window  gives  to  the  front  a  uniformity  and 
completeness  of  finish,  which  it  would  not  otherwise  present.  On 
the  first  floor  are  a  parlor,  sitting  room,  kitchen,  store-room,  pantry, 
wood-room,  and  front  entry,  with  stairs  to  the  second  floor,  on  which 
are  two  large  chambers  and  an  entry  in  the  main  house,  and  a  long 
attic  chamber  in  the  L. 

Stable.  In  the  design  the  stable  is  attached  to  the  house ;  if  this 
is  objectionable  on  account  of  the  noise  of  the  animals,  the  objec- 
tion may  be  obviated  by  leaving  a  space  between  it  and  the  end  of 
the  L. 

Buildings  of  this  class  are  seldom  conveniently  built  or  warm 
enough  for  the  comfort  of  the  animals,  where  they  are  but  few.  A 
partition,  with  a  large  sliding  door,  should  divide  the  stable  from  the 
carriage-room.  .  This  will  give  a  space  sufficiently  large  for  four  full, 
grown  animals.  The  space  for  a  common  sized  cow  should  be  six 
hundred  cubic  feet.  The  animal  heat  will  be  sufficient  to  keep  the 
temperature  in  the  stable  above  freezing  point,  if  the  building  is 
properly  constructed  and  protected  from  the  cold,  and  at  the  same 
time  admits  of  proper  ventilation. 


ESTIMATE    FOR   DESIGN   NO.   XIV  — Cottage. 

U,000  feet  merchantable  pine  boards,                 $16.00  per  M.  .       $224.00 

1,800     "     dimension  timber,  7x5  and  7X-3,     15.00        "     .  .       27.00 

2,000     "     deep  joist,  2x8  and  2x7,                   15.00        «  .           30.00 

2,500     "     studding  and  rafters,  3X4  and  2X4,  15.00        "     .  .       37.50 

133 


134  carpenter's  SPECIFICATIONS  —  DESIGN  NO.  XIV. 

900  clapboards,  planed  and"  laid,  $7  per  hundred,        .         .         .  $63.00 

15  M.  shingles,  nails,  and  laying,  $5.50  per  M.    ....  82.50 

800  feet  partition  plank,  $15  per  M 12.00 

2  brick  chimneys,  with  fixtures,  $17.50  each,      ....  35.00 

Framing,  boarding,  and  under  floors,    ......  85.00 

14  windows,  finished  both  sides,  $5  each, 70.00 

21  doors,  tripmed  and  finished  both  sides,  $4  each,    .         .         .  84.00 

Front  and  cellar  stairs, 25.00 

650  yards  lathing  and  plastering,  20  cents  per  yard,  .         .         .  130.00 

600  lbs.  nails,  4f  cents  per  lb., 28.50 

176  feet  jut  finish,  30  cents  per  foot,  .         .         .         .         .         .  52.80 

Piazza  with  tinned  roof,  $2.50  per  foot  in  length,  ....  70.00 

Laying  upper  floors,  base,  and  finish  to  closets,  ....  60.00 

2  marble  chimney  shelves  and  brackets,  ......  16.00 

Papering  and  painting  two  coats, 60.00 

Cellar,  well,  pumps,  and  fixtures, 150.00 


$1,342.30 


CARPENTER'S   SPECIFICATIONS. 

Stories.  —  The  cellar  to  be  7  feet,  the  first  story  8^  feet,  in  the  clear. 
The  attic  to  be  a  half  story,  4  feet  at  the  eaves,  8  in  the  centre. 

Timber.  —  The  sills  and  posts,  7x7  inches,  centre  cross  timbers,  6X8, 
the  girts,  plates,  and  centre  posts,  4X7,  rafters,  2x6,  studs,  2x3  and  3X4; 
joist  in  first  floor,  2X§,  second  floor,  2X7;  all  16  inches  from  centres  and 
well  bridged.  All  partitions  to  be  2  inches  thick,  and  16  inches  from 
centres.  * 

Roof  —  Covered  with  sound  boards,  well  nailed,  and  shingled  with  extra 
No.  1  shaved  cedar  shingles,  laid  5  inches  to  the  weather,  nailed  with 
Swedish  nails,  and  well  laid.  Sheet  lead  14  inches  wide,  2^  lbs.  to  the  foot, 
to  be  put  in  the  gutters  on  the  roof.  The  roof  to  piazza  to  be  covered 
with  sound  matched  boards,  and  tinned. 

Projection.  —  To  be  15  inches,  plain  cornice  with  suitable  bracket  to 
the  gable  ends.  The  back  part  and  piazza  to  have  tin  gutters  and  conduc- 
tors.    Plain  square  bracketed  columns  to  piazza. 

Walls  —  To  be  covered  with  sound  boards  ;  clapboards  to  be  the  best 
Eastern  clear  pine,  of  good  thickness,  planed  and  laid  5  inches  to  the 
weather,  well  nailed  and  jointed. 

Windows.  —  There  will   be   3   double  windows  of  8  lights  to  each  part, 


carpenter's  SPECIFICATIONS  —  DESIGN  NO.  XIV.  135 

9X14,  first  quality  German  glass,  and  1^  inch  sash;  the  remainder  of  win- 
dows 9X13,  12  lights  each,  lip  sash;  glass  as  above.  Frames  made  of 
good  sound  lumber,  face^, casings  1£  inch'  thick,  with  a  cap  mould  made 
water-tight. 

Doors  and  Trimmings. — Two  outside  doors,  4  paneled,  1|  inch  thick, 
2  feet  10  by  7  feet;  the  front  door  to  be  moulded  on  both  sides,  the  back 
on  one  side.  Good  mortice  locks  with  mineral  knobs  to  both;  hinged  with 
4  inch  loose  butts.  The  inside  doors  1^  inch  thick,  4  paneled,  2  feet  6  by 
6  feet  8  inches,  raised  panel  on  both  sides,  all  made  of  kiln-dried  pine  lum- 
ber ;  the  doors  in  front  to  be  trimmed  with  mortice  locks,  with  mineral  knobs ; 
those  in  the  rear  with  good  thumb  latches;  all  hinged  with  3^  inch  loose 
butts. 

Stairs.  —  The  cellar  stairs  to  be  of  good  plank  stringers,  hard  pine  steps, 
with  raisers,  put  up  in  a  workman-like  manner.  Front  stairs  to  be  a  straight 
run,  6  inch  turned  newel  at  bottom  and  3J  square  newels  above;  3^-  inch 
worked  rail  and  ease-off,  all  of  good  clear  cherry  lumber ;  spruce  steps,  1£ 
inch  thick,  finished  with  plain  base  in  a  substantial  manner. 

Floors.  —  Top  floors  to  be  sound  spruce,  or  pine,  thoroughly  dried,  nar- 
row boards,  well  nailed.  The  kitchen  floor  to  be  hard  pine ;  all  to  be  free 
from  loose  knots  and  shakes. 

Chimneys.  —  Two  chimneys  built  of  well  burnt  bricks,  lime  mortar  made 
with  coarse  sand,  commencing  at  the  bottom  of  the  cellar  and  extending  6 
feet  above  the  ridge,  secured  with  lead  on  the  roof. 

Base.  —  The  front  part  to  be  finished  with  8  inch  base,  with  2  inch 
moulding,  of  sound  clear  lumber.  The  remainder  with  plain  base,  7  inches 
wide. 

Closets  —  Finished  with  shelves,  and  strips  for  clothes  pins.  China-closet 
shelved  all  round,  with  a  case  of  four  drawers  under  the  window,  and  a 
small  cupboard  under  the  main  shelf. 

Lathing  and  Plastering.  —  The  laths  to  be  first  quality  pine,  l£  inch 
wide,  good  thickness,  and  well  put  on,  and  plastered  with  good  lime,  coarse 
sand  and  sound  hair  mortar,  one  coat,  and  skimmed  and  finished  in  the  belt 
manner. 

Papering  and  Painting.  —  The  front  portion  to  be  papered  with  25 
cent  paper;  the  back  with  16  cent  paper;  all  to  be  well  put  on.  The 
inside  to  be  painted  two  coats  of  pure  zinc  white  and  oil ;  the  doors  coated 
and  grained  in  imitation  of  oak,  and  varnished.  The  outside  to  have  two 
coats  of  pure  white  lead  and  oil. 


136  carpenter's  SPECIFICATIONS  —  DESIGN  NO.  XIV. 


ESTIMATE    FOR    DESIGN   NO.   XIV  — Stable. 

6,000  feet  common  sound  boards,      $15.00  per  M.  $90.06 

1,800     "     square  timber,                       15.00        "  27.00 

1,100     "     deep  joist,  3x7,                   15.00        "     .         .         .         .  16.50 

1,000     "     for  rafters  and  studs,  3X4  and  2X6,                .         .  .     15.00 

Framing,  covering,  and  laying  floors,      ......  75.00 

9  M.  shingles,  nails,  and  laying,  $6  per  M.    .         .         .         .  .     54.00 

5  windows,  frames,  and  finish,  $3  each,        .....  15.00 

5  doors,  with  trucks  and  finish,  $6  each,          .....  30.00 

90  feet  jut  finish,  20  cents  per  foot, 18.00 

Painting  S25,  foundation  $28, 53.00 

400  lbs.  nails,  4%  cents  per  lb 18.00 

Finishing  stalls,  and  stairs,         .         .         .         .  *               .         .  .     20.00 


$431.50 


CARPENTER'S   SPECIFICATIONS. 

Size.  —  This  stable  is  given  on  the  plans  30x22  feet  on  the  ground.  It 
is  to  be  17  feet  high  from  the  top  of  sill  to  top  of  plates. 

Covering.  —  The  walls  to  be  covered  with  sound  narrow  dry  pine  boards, 
planed,  jointed  and  matched,  and  put  on  close  joints,  well  nailed. 

Roof  —  To  be  covered  with  hemlock  boards,  well  nailed,  with  sawed 
cedar  shingles,  laid  5  inches  to  the  weather. 

Frame.  —  To  be  framed  in  a  workman-like  manner,  hardwood  pins,  and 
not  less  than  twenty  5  foot  braces,  framed  and  pinned  at  both  ends. 

Projection.  —  The  rafters  to  extend  over  the  plates  to  form  a  16-inch 
projection  with  plain  finish. 

Windows.  —  There  will  be  five  windows,  9x12  German  glass,  to  be  well 
set.  The  sash  If  inch  thick.  Plain  frames,  1^  inch  facings  with  cap 
moulding. 

Doors.  —  There  will  be  two  large  sliding  doors;  four  feet  of  the  large 
outside  door  will  be  hinged ;  two  small  doors  will  be  hinged ;  5  inch  trucks 
on  the  large,  and  12  inch  strap-hinges  on  the  small  doors,  with  bolts  and 
American  latches  to  all ;  to  be  well  made  of  narrow  merchantable  pine  lum- 
ber with  suitable  frames. 

Floors.  —  First  floor  to  be  laid  with  2-inch  plank,  thoroughly  dry, 
jointed,  and  well  laid,  close  joints ;  floor  in  stalls  to  be  double ;  top  floor  laid 


carpenter's  SPECIFICATIONS  —  DESIGN  NO.  XIV.  137 

with  2x4  lumber,  with  one  inch  space  between  each  piece.  The  scaffold 
floor  to  be  single,  jointed  and  matched,  made  of  dry  lumber,  and  well  nailed. 
A  partition  where  represented  on  the  plan,  with  slide  door,  with  three  well 
finished  stalls. 

Foundation.  —  A  common  wall,  3  feet  deep,  with  a  course  of  split 
straight-edged  stone,  12  or  14  inches  wide,  to  place  the  building  on,  well 
set,  will  make  a  good  foundation;  if  a  cellar  is  wanted,  build  a  common 
faced  wall,  well  backed  up  with  the  same  underpinning ;  the  cellar  should 
be  7  feet  in  the  clear. 

18 


XY. 

ON  DRAINAGE. 

The  thorough  draining  of  a  bog  meadow  is  not  more  necessary  to 
fit  it  to  produce  a  good  crop  of  Indian  corn,  than  a  good  drainage  to 
the  premises  of  a  dwelling-house  is  to  preserve  the  health  of  the 
inmates.  Admitting  to  the  fullest  extent  the  importance  of  ventila- 
tion, we  believe,  nevertheless,  that  imperfect  drainage  is  the  source 
and  cause  of  more  diseases  than  imperfect  ventilation.  Each  of 
these  conditions,  however,  is  essential  to  the  healthfulness  of  a 
habitation,  either  for  human  beings  or  for  brute  animals.  The  bird 
when  building  its  nest  is  directed  by  instinct  to  choose  a  location 
which  will  allcw  the  rain  that  falls  upon  it  to  pass  off  freely.  The 
bluebird  that  builds  in  the  hollows  of  trees,  when  he  finds  the 
bottom  of  the  hollow  impervious  to  water,  makes  an  artificial  foun- 
dation for  drainage,  several  inches  in  depth,  so  that  the  water  that 
enters  the  hollow  shall  be  drained  off  from  his  nest. 

Many  of  the  houses,  in  the  country  as  well  as  the  city,  are  built 
on  low  and  wet  places,  that  emit  exhalations  which  are  noxious  both 
on  account  of  their  dampness  and  their  impurity.  Ventilation  pro- 
tects the  inmates  of  a  dwelling,  in  -part,  from  the  effects  of  each  of 
these  conditions ;  but  a  good  drainage  is  the  only  sure  safeguard. 
Houses  in  low  damp  situations,  however,  are  not  the  only  ones  that 
are  exposed  to  the  evils  of  excessive  moisture,  nor  the  only  ones  that 
require  to  be  well  drained.  There  are  places  where  the  filth  is 
drained  off  from  the  surface  into  reservoirs  which  are  near  enough 
to  the  well  to  communicate  a  taint  to  the  water  which  is  used  by 
the  family.  The  health  may  be  injured  by  drinking  impure  water, 
no  less  than  by  breathing  impure  air.  We  have  known  instances  of 
families  who  used  the  water  of  a  well  thus  corrupted,  because  it  was 
clear  and  transparent,  though  offensive  to  the  smell,  in  preference  to 
the  pure  water  of  a  neighboring  brook,  because  the  latter  was  tinged 
with  that  yellowish  hue  which  is  acquired  by  flowing  through  the 

138 


ON   DRAINAGE.  139 

woods  and  peat  meadows.  The  well  was  corrupted  by  its  proximity 
to  a  neighboring  vault,  and  by  the  waters  of  a  sink,  which  probably 
obtained  communication  with  it  when  the  rain  caused  an  overflow 
upon  the  surface. 

A  prejudice  existed  against  the  waters  of  the  brook,  because  the 
cattle  were  seen  occasionally  to  resort  to  it,  and  because  filthy  sub- 
stances had  been  known  to  be  cast  into  it.  We  remarked  that  the 
brook,  being  constantly  in  motion  and  being  every  minute  re-sup- 
plied with  fresh  water  from  its  sources,  which  were  among  the  hills 
and  forests,  was  immediately  rid  of  these  impurities,  and  that  there 
was  but  little  chance  of  dipping  from  it  a  bucket  of  water  that 
contained  them.  The  well,  on  the  other  hand,  being  a  reservoir, 
and  having  no  outlet,  the  water  contained  in  it  could  not  purify 
itself  of  any  corruption  that  was  mixed  with  it.  It  could  only  be 
purified  by  drawing  up  the  water,  and  afterwards  cutting  off  all 
communication  with  the  contaminating  sources.  People  do  not 
sufficiently  attend  to  these  matters.  They  drink  foetid  water  from 
a  well,  because  it  is  transparent,  while  they  refuse  the  pure,  inodor- 
ous water  from  a  brook,  because  it  is  slightly  tea-colored.  The 
health  of  thousands  of  people  is  injured  by  drinking  water  from 
wells  which  are  not  sufficiently  guarded  from  the  contamination 
of  vaults  and  sewers. 

It  is  bad  enough  to  be  obliged  to  drink  the  Epsom  salts,  the 
carbonate  of  lime,  and  other  mineral  ingredients  that  exist  in  all 
hard  water,  without  being  obliged  to  swallow  sulphuretted  hydrogen 
gas,  dissolved  humine,  and  certain  other  impurities  which  ought  to 
be  saved  to  enrich  the  compost  heap.  Every  well  of  water  ought 
to  have  an  outlet,  not  only  to  guard  against  the  impurities  we  have 
mentioned,  but  likewise  to  preserve  it,  comparatively,  in  a  condition 
of  soft  water.  When  a  well  has  mo  outlet,  except  by  percolation 
through  the  sides  of  the  reservoir,  or  by  overflowing  it,  the  water 
constantly  increases  in  hardness,  by  the  accumulation  of  these  min- 
eral substances  in  the  reservoir.  Hence  every  well  should  be  pro- 
tected from  contamination  by  a  good  system  of  drainage  connected 
with  the  sewers  and  out-buildings,  and  from  hardness  by  an  outlet 
connected  with  its  own  waters. 

In  a  work  by  Dr.  Wyman  it  is  stated  that  "  in  some  towns  the 


140  ON   DRAINAGE. 

mortality  was  diminished  more  than  twenty  per  cent,  after  the  intro- 
duction of  proper  sewers  and  drains."  A  permanent  reservoir  of 
filth  should  never  be  allowed  to  stand  on  any  place  whatever,  either 
on  the  surface  or  under  the  surface.  Every  particle  of  filth  which  is 
drained  from  one's  premises  should  be  removed  periodically  from  its 
reservoir,  to  be  used  for  the  farm  or  the  garden ;  and  while  in  the 
reservoir  should  be  deodorized  by  some  one  of  the  various  sub- 
stances which  are  used  to  neutralize  the  noxious  properties  of  cor- 
rupted matter.  All  the  dirty  water  and  the  substances  dissolved  in 
it,  which  corrupt  our  wells  and  our  atmosphere,  contain  elements 
which  are  vitally  important  to  the  growth  of  plants ;  and  a  wise  man 
who  owns  land  would  use  them  to  fertilize  his  grounds.  In  the  one 
case,  he  who  made  .this  use  of  them  would  have  a  well  of  pure 
water,  and  a  garden  full  of  wholesome  fruits  and  vegetables ;  in  the 
other  case,  the  one  who  neglected  these  things  would  have  a  well 
of  corrupt  and  fetid  water,  and  land  that  would  produce  nothing, 
because  the  well  contained  what  was  needed  for  the  sustenance  of 
the  soil. 

In  many  houses  in  the  country,  water  either  stands  in  the  cellar 
or  passes  through  it  in  a  running  stream.  Neither  of  these  con- 
ditions ought  to  be  allowed.  If  the  house  be  built  on  springy 
land,  a  drain  should  lead  underground  directly  through  the  cellar 
into  a  reservoir,  if  the  house  be  on  a  level,  and  to  a  lower  part  of 
the  ground  if  it  be  on  the  side  of  a  hill.  In  this  case  the  cellar 
should  be  covered  about  a  foot  in  depth  with  cobble  stones  or  peb- 
bles and  the  floor  of  the  cellar  laid  over  them.  A  drain  conducted 
through  the  stones,  and  leading  to  some  place  outside,  to  prevent 
the  water  from  rising  above  the  level  of  the  drainage  is  indispens- 
able. Such  arrangements  add  but  a  trifle  to  the  expense  of  the 
house,  if  they  are  provided  at»  the  time  it  is  built;  they  render 
it  at  the  same  time  a  more  durable  and  more  healthful  habi- 
tation. 

The  draining  of  the  enclosures  outside  of  the  house  is  almost 
as  important  as  the  draining  of  the  cellar  and  the  foundation. 
Mud,  however,  may  sometimes  be  avoided  without  drainage,  by 
simply  covering  the  surface  with  a  good  depth  of  gravel  and  lime. 
This  will  harden  to  such  a  degree,  as  to  cause  all  the  rain  to  drain 


ON  DRAINAGE.  141 

off,  instead  of  sinking  into  the  soil.  This  contrivance  will  prevent 
those  who  enter  the  house  in  wet  weather  from  annoying  the  house- 
keepers by  bringing  in  mud  upon  their  feet.  A  great  deal  of  labor 
performed  by  the  over-tasked  females  of  the  household  might  be 
saved  by  proper  attention  to  these  matters,  which  are  too  apt  to  be 
wholly  neglected. 


DESIGN,    No.    XV. 


PLAN. 


A  A  A  A  A,  Stalls.    B,  Passage  bebina  the  Stalls.    C,  Ventilating  Pipe.     D.  Harness  Room. 
E,j  Carriage  Room, 


DESIGN  NO.   XV. 


A     STABLE     FOR    COMMON     USE. 


This  design  exhibits  a  neat  and  convenient  stable,  adapted  to 
the  wants  of  those  who  wish  to  keep  only  two  or  three  horses  and 
a  cow.  It  contains  five  apartments,  or  stalls,  with  a  wide  passage 
behind  the  horses  and  a  slide  door  between  the  stable  and  carriage- 
room.  The  carriage-room  is  ample  enough  to  admit  three  or  four 
carriages.  It  contains  also  a  harness-room,  which  is  indispensa- 
ble to  every  stable,  to  preserve  the  harness  from  the  dust  of  the  barn. 

This  building  also  contains  a  large  hayloft,  capable  of  holding 
ten  or  twelve  tons  of  hay.  The  cupola  over  the  ventilator  gives 
the  building  a  neat  and  finished  appearance.  A  barn  of  this  des- 
cription may  be  made  an  ornamental  object,  but  its  convenience 
depends  almost  as  much  on  its  location  as  its  construction.  The 
proper  location  must  depend  on  the  relative  position  of  surrounding 
objects.  It  is  impossible  to  offer  any  general  advice  which  would 
apply  to  all  circumstances ;  a  few  hints,  however,  may  not  be  useless. 

All  stables  should  be  so  situated  as  to  avoid  the  necessity  of  back- 
ing a  team,  and  to  allow  sufficient  space  for  turning.  If  practicable, 
they  should  be  on  the  north  and  north-east  side  of  the  house,  because 
when  the  wind  blows  from  these  points,  the  doors  and  windows  of 
the  dwelling-house  are  usually  closed,  even  in  summer.  The  in- 
mates, therefore,  by  this  arrangement,  avoid  the  effluvia  from  the 
stable.  If  it  be  located  south,  south-west,  or  west  of  the  dwelling- 
house,  when  the  wind  blows  from  these  points  in  summer  and  early 
autumn,  the  windows  of  the  house  are  usually  open,  and  the  inmates 
are  consequently  annoyed  by  the  smell  of  the  barn. 

Very  few  stable  cellars  are  properly  ventilated,  and  some  have 
no  ventilation  at  all,  except  one  opening,  which  is  closed  in  cold 
weather.  There  ought  to  be  at  least  four  good  sized  windows, 
equally  distributed  and  in  opposite  places,  to  produce  a  current 
of  air  in  all  parts  of  the  cellar,  each  window  containing  eight  lights, 
nine  by  twelve. 


145 


146 


CARPENTER'S  SPECIFICATIONS  —  DESIGN  NO.  XV. 


The  best  mode  of  thorough  ventilation,  is  a  ventilating  tube, 
twelve  by  eighteen  inches  square,  from  the  centre  of  the  cellar  to 
the  cupola,  made  of  sound  planed  and  matched  boards.  Such 
ventilation  prevents  the  carriages  from  acquiring  an  unpleasant 
smell,  keeps  a  pure  air  in  all  the  rooms,  and  preserves  the  health 
of   the    animals. 

A  tool-room  is  also  essential  to  every  establishment  of  this  kind, 
by  affording  the  opportunity  to  mend  at  once  any  thing  that  is 
out  of  repair. 

A  ventilator  and  tool-room  are  represented  on  the  ground  plan. 


ESTIMATE   FOR  DESIGN  NO.  XV. 

9,300  feet  common  boards,  $15.00  per  M.   . 

4,300     "     square  timber,  15.00       "     . 

4,000     "     deep  joist,  3x8  and  4x8,       15.00       " 
3,500     "     studding  and  rafters,  3x4  and  3x6,  $15  per  M. 
1,600  clapboards,  planed  and  laid,  $8  per  hundred, 

20  M.  shingles,  Swedish  nails  and  laying,  $7  per  M.     . 

170  feet  jut  finish,  tin  gutters,  50  cents  per  foot, 
6  doors,  trimmed  and  finished, 
11  windows,  hung  with  weights  and  finished,  $7.50  each, 
3,000  feet  clear  lumber  for  finish,  $30  per  M.    . 

700  lbs.  nails  and  spikes,  4|  cents  per  lb.,  . 
Cupola,  spire,  ball  and  vane,        .... 
Framing,  boarding,  and  under  floors, 

Building  stalls,  stairs,  &c, 

Digging  and  stoning  cellar,  windows,  and  doors, 
Painting  3  coats, 


.  $139.50 

64.50 
.       60.00 

52.50 

.     128.00 

140.00 

.       85.00 

65.00 
.       85.50 

90.00 
.       33.25 

75.00 
.     150.00 

75.00 
.     170.00 

75.00 

SI, 488.25 


CARPENTER'S   SPECIFICATIONS. 

Stories.  — The  cellar  is  to  be  8£  feet;  the  first  story  9£  feet,  in  the 
clear ;  the  hay -loft  9  feet,  including  plate. 

Timber.  —  Sills  8X8,  two  cross  centres  10x10,  one  bearing  under  each; 
posts  7X7,  girts  and  plates  6X8,   cross  beams,  second  floor,  8X10,  beams 


CARPENTER'S  SPECIFICATIONS  —  DESIGN  NO.  XV.  147 

7X7,  cupola  post  6x0,  studs  3X4,  braces  3x5,  rafters  3x6,  with  collar 
to  each  pair. 

Roof  —  Boarded  with  sound  pine  or  hemlock,  and  shingled  with  extra 
No.  1  shaved  shingles,  4f  inch  to  the  weather,  well  laid. 

Cupola — Built  according  to  plan,  of  good  pure  lumber,  secured  with 
lead  around  the  posts ;  the  roof  to  be  tinned  with  the  best  roofing  tin ;  a 
spire  and  vane  worth  $30,  with  scuttle  and  blinds,  wide  slats. 

Projection.  —  The  projection  to  be  two  feet,  with  rake  mould,  and  tin 
gutter,  with  wood  hollow  under  for  support ;  1\  inch  tin  conductors,  to  con- 
vey water  where  needed. 

Windows.  —  There  are  to  be  eleven  windows  of  10x14  first  quality 
German  glass ;  hard  pine  stiles,  \\  inch  face,  If  inch  cap,  with  cap  mould 
rabbeted  on  top,  made  water-tight ;  sash  1^  inch  thick ;  circular  head  win- 
dows are  to  be  leaded  on  the  cap ;  there  is  to  be  one  window  in  each  gable 
end;   all  to  be  hung  with  weights  in  the  best  manner. 

Clapboarding.  —  Extra  No.  1  thick  pine  clapboards,  planed,  butted,  and 
well  laid,  not  over  5  inches  to  the  weather. 

Doors.  —  Three  outside  doors  framed  of  If  inch  plank,  15  inch  bottom 
rail,  stiles  7  inches,  and  sheathed  inside  with  clear  heart  pine  \  inch  thick 
lumber,  and  mouldings  cut  into  panels  on  the  outside.  Circular  head  doors 
over  the  great  doors,  hinged  in  two  parts,  swinging  into  the  loft.  Stable 
doors  hinged  as  marked  on  plans.  The  large  door  to  be  put  on  trucks,  done 
in  the  best  manner  with  fastening.  The  stable  doors  to  have  the  largest 
American  latch  and  lock  or  bolt. 

Stairs.  —  One  small  flight  of  stairs  in  the  stable  to  hay-loft. 

Stalls.  —  Five  stalls,  or  apartments;  three  to  be  finished  for  horses,  with 
round  hard  wood  standards  between  stalls,  with  a  groove  cut  2  inches  deep 
on  one  side,  and  the  partition  plank,  2  inch  thick,  fitted  into  the  groove, 
doweled  in  the  centre  with  hard  wood  pins ;  each  stall  planked  6  feet  high 
to  the  back  stud,  and  1\  feet  high  more  than  half  way ;  a  good  hard  wood 
plank  crib  to  each  stall,  and  a  good  hay-rack  to  come  down  within  18  inches 
of  the  bottom  of  the  crib.     Two  apartments  finished  with  stanchions  for  cows. 

Floors.  —  The  plank  should  be  laid  lengthwise  in  stalls  and  crosswise 
back  of  them.  The  whole  of  first  floor  to  be  laid  double  with  dry  plank 
well  jointed  up ;   the  hay-loft  with  single  matched  floor. 

Painting.  —  The  whole  outside,  and  doors  and  windows  inside,  are  to  be 
painted  three  coats  of  pure  white  lead  and  linseed  oil,  put  on  in  the  best 
manner.     The  blinds  to  the  cupola  are  to  be  painted  green. 

Cellar. — The  loam  should  be  all  carted  off  previous  to  moving  any  of 
the  lower  strata,  and  each  kept  separate.     When  the  cellar  is  dug,  the  trench 


.148  CARPENTER'S  SPECIFICATIONS  —  DESIGN  NO.   XV. 

for  the  lower  wall  should  be  six  or  eight  inches  lower  than  the  bottom  of 
the  cellar.  If  the  ground  is  naturally  wet,  the  bottom  of  the  cellar  should 
slope  one  way,  and  a  trench  be  dug  back  of  the  wall,  and  an  under-drain 
laid  all  round  the  cellar  and  covered  with  large  flat  stones  for  the  wall  to 
be  set  on;   this  method  will  make  a  dry  cellar  if  there  is  an  outside  drain. 

Cellab  Wall.  —  A  good  wall  faced  inside  6^  feet  high,  and  a  mortared 
wall  upon  it,  faced  on  both  sides,  14  inches  thick,  2  feet  high;  all  the  cel- 
lar well  chinked  and  pointed  with  lime  mortar. 

Cellar  Doors  and  Windows.  —  Two  double  thick  doors,  hinged  and 
fastened.  The  windows  to  be  boxed  outside  with  good  plank  frames,  well 
set ;  sash  1^  inch  thick,  and  hinged  at  the  top ;  double  thick  glass  ;  all  of 
the  best  material. 


XYI, 

OUT-BUILDINGS  AND  THEIR  ARRANGEMENTS. 

The  relative  position,  and  the  general  situation  of  out-buildings 
are  objects  of  too  much  importance  to  be  overlooked.  Every  farm- 
yard needs  protection ;  and  the  sheds,  barn,  and  other  out-buildings 
may  be  so  arranged  as  to  make  the  yard  either  a  very  comfortable 
or  a  very  uncomfortable  place.  It  is  desirable  therefore,  to  arrange 
these  buildings  in  such  a  manner  as  that  the  yard  shall  be-  open 
to  the  sun  the  greater  part  of  the  day  and  screened  from  the  north- 
erly winds.  On  the  south  side  of  the  yard  two  or  three  deciduous 
trees  should  standi  to  shade  it  from  the  heat  of  the  sun  in  summer. 
It  is  not  an  unusual  practice  to  place  house  and  barn  on  a  line 
running  east  and  west,  and  connected  by  a  shed.  Any  gap  that 
may  occur  is  filled  up  by  a  close  fence,  to  prevent  a  current  of  wind. 
This  is,  perhaps,  the  best  arrangement  that  can  be  made.  When 
the  position  of  the  house  will  not  permit  this  to  be  done,  the 
buildings  may  either  form  an  angle  with  the  house,  or  the  out- 
buildings may  be  set  back  and  form  a  row  on  a  parallel  line  with 
the  barn,  and  the  space  between  the  latter  and  the  line  of  buildings 
should  be  protected  by  a  fence  made  at  right  angles  with  them. 
It  is  of  no  importance  how  the  arrangement  is  made,  provided 
the  buildings  are  set  in  such  a  manner  as  to  protect  the  enclos- 
ures. This  cannot  be  done  unless  they  are  either  joined,  or  the 
gaps  between  them  covered  by  a  close  fence,  which  would  be  a 
safer  way  in  case  of  fire,  because  the  fence  might  be  removed  to 
stop  the  progress  of  the  flames. 

The  barn,  as  every  good  farmer  knows,  should  be  placed  so  as 
to  be  convenient  for  the  passing  of  teams,  without  increasing 
the  labor  of  approaching  it  or  of  going  from  it.  Hence  it  should 
not  be  located  on"  a  hill,  nor  in  a  valley :  for  in  either  case,  a 
rising  ground  must  be  ascended  either  going  to  or  coming  from  it. 
It  should  be  near  the  dwelling-house  for  the  convenience  of  attend- 
ing to  the  animals;  but  it  should  be  sufficiently  removed  from  it 

19  149 


f 


150  OUT-BUILDINGS   AND   THEIE   ARRANGEMENTS. 

to  prevent  any  annoyance  to  the  inmates  of  the  house,  from  the 
litter  of  the  barn-yard  or  the  effluvia  from  the  stable.  The  cus- 
tom of  placing  the  barn  out  of  sight  is  an  aristocratic  folly  which 
no  sensible  person,  especially  if  he  be  a  farmer,  would  think  of 
imitating.  The  sight  of  the  barn  and  sheds  connected  with  a 
farm,  or  any  other  estate,  is  indeed  a  pleasing  addition  to  the 
beauty  of  a  residence  in  the  country,  and  by  removing  them  out 
of  view  the  place  is  deprived  of  a  great  part  of  its  rural  attrac- 
tions, as  well  as  its  expression  of  comfort  and  convenience. 

Whenever  it  is  practicable  it  would  be  a  good  rule  to  leave  a 
belt  of  trees  in  such  a  situation  as  to  protect  one's  estate  and  en- 
closures. If  a  farmer  has  planted  his  house  in  the  midst  of  a  pine 
wood,  or  on  the  south  side  of  one,  how  easy  and  practicable  it 
would  be  to  leave  a  growth  of  young  trees,  wide  enough  to  be 
impenetrable  to  the  wind,  to  protect  his  grounds.  There  are  many 
new  places  in  which  the  pioneer  might  thus  provide  an  out-of-door 
shelter,  to  add  to  the  beauty  of  his  enclosures,  and  the  comfort 
of  his  domestic  animals,  and  give  a  delightful  rural  aspect  to  his 
estate.  But  we  have  treated  this  subject  more  fully  in  another 
chapter. 

There  is  no  building  which  is  so  generally  located  in  the  wrong 
place,  as  that  diminutive  house  to  which  a  name  is  applied  that 
expresses  the  absolute  importance  of  such  a  retreat.  It  is  strange 
that  a  house  which  every  one  is  ashamed  to  be  seen  to  enter,  should 
be  so  often  paraded  in  one  of  the  most  conspicuous  positions  that 
could  be  found,  so  that  from  all  the  back  windows  of  the  dwelling- 
house,  it  is  the  most  apparent  object  in  view.  Probably  there  was 
once  thought  to  be  a  necessity  for  this  location  of  the  building,  aris- 
ing from  the  idea  that  cleanliness  required  it  to  be  placed  at  a  con- 
siderable distance  in  the  rear  of  the  house.  At  present,  when  chem- 
istry has  furnished  the  public  with  the  knowledge  of  so  many 
deodorising  agents,  the  vault  of  this  building  may  be  prevented  from 
corrupting  the  atmosphere. 

The  first  improvement  that  was  made  upon  the  custom  to  which 
we  have  alluded,  was  to  surround  the  front  of  the  edifice  with  blinds, 
or  with  a  trellis,  behind  which  one  might  conceal  himself  before  he 
made  his  entrance.  The  next  improvement  was  to  build  a  platform 
on  which  one  might  walk  to  it  in  muddy  weather.     At  length  it  was 


OUT-BUILDINGS   AND   THEIR   ARRANGEMENTS.  151 

removed  to  the  extreme  end  of  the  shed,  and  the  unfortunate  person 
who  was  obliged  to  retire  to  it  might  skulk  round  the  shed,  and  allow 
it  to  be  conjectured  that  he  might  possibly  be  gone  on  some  less 
ignoble  errand.  How  much  soever  it  might  be  suspected,  there  was 
no  actual  proof  that  he  entered  the  temple  that  stood  there ;  and  a 
modest  female  after  having  occupied  it  without  being  seen  to  enter 
it,  might  on  coming  out  return  to  the  dwelling-house  with  a  feeling 
of  comparative  innocence. 

The  last  improvement  was  to  make  the  privy  a  part  of  the  shed, 
separated  only  by  a  ventilating  space,  and  so  situated  that  one  need 
not  expose  himself  to  sun,  wind,  rain,  or  snow,  in  making  his  retreat 
thither.  This  is  the  best  possible  location  for  a  common  privy.  If 
it  be  a  water-closet,  it  may  be  placed  in  the  centre  of  a  dwelling- 
house,  without  becoming  offensive  so  long  as  it  is  in  mechanical 
order  and  well  supplied  with  a  stream  of  clear  water.  But  there  are 
not  many  houses  in  the  country  that  could  be  conveniently  furnished 
with  one  of  these  structures.  It  is  therefore  important  to  see  that 
the  privy,  while  it  is  placed  at  a  proper  distance  from  the  house, 
is  easily  accessible,  and  that  it  is  kept  pure,  not  by  a  draught  of 
cold  air  in  the  vault,  but  by  a  good  supply  of  deodorising  agents,  and 
by  a  ventilating  tube,  eight  by  twelve  inches,  extending  from  the 
vault,  above  the  roof. 


D  E  S  I  G  N,     No.    XVI 


CORN-BARN. 


PIGGERY. 


Ill 

C 

li 

B 

A 

B 

1 

1 

! 

1 

1     *     1 

I    -I 

B 

C                B 

LB- 

A     ■ 

A,  Ground  Floor  under  the  Corn  Chamber. 
B  B,  Corn  Cribs  in  the  Chamber. 
C,  Entrance  for  Stairway . 


A,  Swill  Room. 
B  B  B  B  B,  Pens 

C,  Passage-way. 

D,  Portable  Boiler. 


DESIGN  NO.  XVI. 


A     PIGGERY. 


This  building  is  twenty-five  by  twenty-five  feet  on  the  ground, 
twelve  feet  high  at  the  plates ;  the  first  story  seven  feet,  the  attic 
eight  feet.  Each  pair  of  rafters  has  a  collar  board  spiked  on  the 
centre  before  it  is  put  up. 


ESTIMATE   FOR  DESIGN  NO.   XVI. 

1,084  feet  square  timber,  6x6  and  4x7,     $15.00  .         .         .         .  $16.26 

5,800     "     common  boards,                                  15.00        .         .         .  87.00 

2,000     "     joist  and  rafters,  3x4  and  2X6,  15.00  ....  30.00 

Framing,  covering,  and  floors, 60.00 

8  M.  sbingles,  nails,  and  laying,  $5  per  M 40.00 

500  clapboards,  planed  and  laid,  $6  per  hundred,          .         .         .  30.00 

7  windows,  frames  and  finish,  $2.50  each,     .....  17.50 

3  large  doors  and  5  small,  with  trimmings,         ....  15.00 

1,000  feet  1^-inch  lumber,  $20  per  M.,  for  pens,      ....  20.00 

Painting  two  coats  $16,  foundation  $16, 32.00 

Building  pens,  feeding  troughs,  &c, 20.00 

450  lbs.  nails,  4^  cents  per  lb., 20.25 

$388.01 


CARPENTER'S    SPECIFICATIONS 

FEAME.  —  To  be  well    framed,  long    braces    and    hard     wood    pins.     The 

floor  joist  placed  on   top  of  all  the   timbers.      4X4  girts,  trained    '_'!  feel    from 

the  top  of  the  floor,  and  3X1  studs   above;    sills  6X6,  beams  7x7,  plates 

and  middle  girts  4x7,  rafters  2x6,  floor  joist  3x4. 

Covering.  —  Tbe  roof   to  be  covered  with  hemlock  boards,  and  shingled 

155 


156  carpenter's  SPECIFICATIONS  —  DESIGN  NO.  XVI. 

with  sawed  cedar  shingles;   the    sides    covered  with  sound  boards    and  with 
No.  1  clear  clapboards,  planed  and  well  laid. 

Windows  and  Doors.  —  There  will  be  seven  windows  of  8X12  glass, 
with  good  frames  and  springs  to  each.  The  doors  will  be  made  with  wide 
battens,  or  narrow  boards,  well  nailed  with  wrought  nails;  the  two  front 
doors  to  be  put  on  5-inch  trucks. 


XYII. 

ON  THE  MANAGEMENT  OF  POULTRY. 

/ 

There  is  no  matter  appertaining  to  rural  economy  in  which  there 
is  such  a  difference  of  opinion  as  the  management  of  poultry.  Some 
will  inform  us  that  there  is  no  profit  in  keeping  any  description  of 
fowls;  others  earn  almost  their  whole  livelihood  by  keeping  them. 
As  much  can  be  said  in  favor  of  poultry  as  in  favor  of  any  other 
live  stock ;  but  most  people  commit  the  error  of  supposing  that  the 
former  must  thrive  and  yield  a  profit  without  any  of  their  care  and 
attention  or  they  are  worthless.  If  a  farmer  owns  two  cows,  valued 
at  fifty  dollars  each,  he  expects  they  will  cost  him  every  year  as 
much  as  they  are  worth  for  their  keeping ;  and  that  they  will  require 
the  labor  of  one  man  two  hours  a  day,  at  least,  to  take  care  of  them ; 
beside  the  labor  of  a  woman  in  the  house  about  the  same  amount 
of  time  in  attending  to  their  milk  and  its  products.  He  provides 
a  barn  for  their  shelter,  adapted  particularly  to  their  wants  and  their 
accommodation.  He  does  not  consider  his  time  mis-spent  which  is 
devoted  to  the  management  of  them,  although  nine  out  of  ten  of 
our  farmers  would  find  it  profitable  to  double  the  care  and  attention 
which  they  usually  devote  to  these  animals. 

If  the  same  farmer  has  fifty  fowls,  which  may  be  considered  equal 
in  value  to  one  cow,  he  leaves,  the  care  of  them  almost  entirely  to 
the  children  and  the  female  members  of  his  family.  He  grudges 
every  dollar  which  is  laid  out  for  them,  and  considers  his  own  time 
too  precious  to  be  given  to  so  trifling  an  object.  If  any  accommo- 
dations are  provided  for  them,  they  are  built  only  with  reference  to 
shutting  them  up  and  keeping  them  out  of  mischief  in  the  spring 
and  summer,  and  not  with  any  reference  to  their  health  or  their 
comfort ;  and  when  they  are  let  out  of  prison,  they  are  obliged  to 
shift  for  themselves  the  remainder  of  the  year.  The  consequence  of 
this  sort  of  management  is  that  fowls  are  of  no  profit  to  the  farmer. 
If  their  eggs  and  flesh  are  sufficient  to  pay  for  the  food  they  eat, 
there  is  still  nothing  to  compensate  for  the  mischief  they  have  done 

157 


158  ON  THE  MANAGEMENT  OF  POULTRY. 

in  the  field  and  the  garden.  Yet  with  the  same  amount  of  attention, 
with  equally  good  management,  and  a  proportional  expense  laid  out 
for  providing  them  with  a  good  house  and  yard,  a  hundred  dollars 
worth  of  poultry  would  yield  as  much  profit  as  a  hundred  dollars 
worth  of  any  other  kind  of  stock. 

The  farmer  complains  that  his  hens  do  not  lay  well,  and  his 
neighbor  inforjns  him  that  he  keeps  a  poor  breed,  and  sells  him 
some  of  the  eggs  of  his  own  choice  sort  of  fowls  for  a  dollar  or 
two  dollars  a  dozen.  These  may  be  more  profitable  for  a  while, 
because  he  is  prompted  by  his  experimental  zeal  to  take  more  care 
of  them  than  he  usually  devotes  to  his  fowls.  As  soon  as  he 
relaxes  this  extraordinary  care  and  attention,  his  new  stock  relapses 
into  unprofitable  habits,  and  he  believes  he  must  have  been  "taken 
in"  by  his  neighbor  who  sold  him  the  eggs.  He  purchases  another 
lot  at  an  extravagant  price ;  and  in  the  course  of  ten  or  twelve 
years  he  pays  enough  for  extraordinary  breeds  of  poultry  to  have 
built  a  large  and  convenient  poultry  house  and  yard.  After  all 
he  has  obtained  no  profit  from  his  fowls,  and  like  all  the  rest  of 
his  countrymen  for  ten  miles  round,  his  yard  is  filled  with  a 
miserable,  ugly  set  of  mongrels,  and  he  has  not  yet  provided 
them  with  proper  accommodations. 

The  truth  is  that  no  description  of  poultry  can  be  made  profitable 
without  care;  and  without  care  all  kinds  will  be  both  expensive 
and  mischievous.  With  equal  attention  in  proportion  to  their 
value  they  would  yield  as  good  a  profit  as  any  domestic  animals. 
It  is  idle,  however,  to  expect  any  profit  from  hens  unless  they  be 
confined,  because  the  mischief  they  would  do  when  at  liberty 
would  overbalance  their  profits.  Yet  this  confinement,  which,  if 
of  the  right  sort,  would  increase  their  profitableness,  would  destroy 
it,  if  too  close  or  uncomfortable ;  it  must  be  such  that  every  fowl 
should  continue  in  as  good  condition .  as  if  she  had  her  freedom. 
For  the  kind  of  poultry  house  which  may  be  recommended,  see 
the  accompanying  design. 

Besides  a  house,  the  fowls  should  be  provided  with  a  yard,  of 
a  size  proportioned  to  the  number  of  fowls  to  be  kept.  Let  the 
yard  be  so  spacious  that  the  fowls  confined  in  it  should  not  destroy 
the  grass,  which  is  necessary  for  their  health  and  good  condition, 
though  not  for  their  actual  subsistence.      Twenty-five  hens  would 


ON    THE   MANAGEMENT    OF   POULTKY.  159 

require  about  a  quarter  of  an  acre  thus  enclosed.  If  this  number 
were  found  not  to  injure  the  grass  it  might  be  increased.  The 
state  of  the  grass,  if  about  half  the  enclosure  was  laid  down  to 
grass,  might  be  the  criterion  by  which  we  should  determine  whether 
the  number  of  fowls  should  be  increased  or  diminished.  About 
half  this  quantity  of  land  should  be  occasionally  spaded  for  their 
benefit.  Every  good  hen  kept  in  this  comfortable  confinement, 
with  a  sufficiency  of  grass,  and  supplied  judiciously  with  food, 
shells,  and  gravel,  would  produce  annually  about  one  hundred  and 
fifty  eggs,  and  yield  a  clear  profit  of  a  dollar. 

Still,  no  profit  can  be  made  from  fowls,  if  they  are  of  the  best 
breed  in  the  world,  unless  they  are  kept  in  a  healthy  and  comfortable 
condition.  A  hundred  dollars  expended  in  building  a  poultry  house 
and  yard  of  the  foregoing  convenient  and  spacious  description, 
would  be  a  good  investment  for  every  farmer  in  this  country.  The 
hens  should  be  confined  to  this  yard  at  least  five  months  of  the 
year.  The  chickens  should  be  kept  outside  of  the  yard,  until  they 
are  large  enough  to  be  mischievous.  They  should  not  be  allowed 
to  mix  with  the  laying  hens,  as  they  mutually  annoy  one  another. 

With  respect  to  breeds,  it  may  simply  be  remarked  that  hens  may 
be  divided,  with  reference  to  their  laying,  into  two  sorts ;  the  first 
including  those  which,  like  the  common  breeds,  lay  an  egg  almost 
daily  until  they  have  laid  from  a  dozen  to  twenty,  and  then  become 
broody.  If  not  allowed  to  set  they  rest  from  ten  to  twelve  days, 
then  begin  to  lay  again,  thus  continually  laying  and  resting  through- 
out the  year.  The  second  includes  those  varieties  which  after  they 
have  begun  to  lay  continue  to  produce  an  egg  about  every  other 
day,  if  well  kept,  until  their  moulting  commences,  when  they  rest 
about  three  months.  Among  the  first  are  included  all  the  common 
barn-door  fowls,  the  game-fowl,  the  Malays,  the  Chittergongs,  the 
Dorkings,  and  other  large  breeds.  Among  the  second  are  included 
the  black,  white,  and  spangled  Polands,  or  Hamburgs,  the  black 
Spanish,  and  the  Bolton  greys.  The  first  may  be  called  periodical 
layers,  the  second  perpetual  layers,  though  the  periodical  layers 
probably  produce  as  many  eggs  during  the  year  as  the  others. 
The  difference  between  them  is  as  if  the  first  should  produce 
fourteen  eggs,  and  then  rest  fourteen  days,  while  the  last  produce 
fourteen  eggs  by  laying  every  other  day  during  twenty-eight  days. 


160  ON  THE   MANAGEMENT   OF   POULTEY. 

The   actual   difference   is   not    so    precise   as   this   would   make   it 
appear  to  be,  but  it  approximates  to  it. 

It  is  probable,  however,  that  with  equal  attention  and  good 
keeping,  a  dozen  of  the  perpetual  layers  would  produce  more 
eggs  during  the  year  than  a  dozen  of  the  periodical  layers,  because 
the  latter  waste  some  of  their  strength  in  their  periodical  efforts 
to  set,  when  they  are  apt  to  be  worried  to  such  an  extent  as  to 
impair  their  vigor. 

It  is  evident  that  if  one  is  desirous  of  avoiding  the  trouble  of 
a  constant  succession  of  broody  hens,  throughout  the  season,  where 
a  large  flock  is  kept,  the  perpetual  layers  are  to  be  preferred,  mixed 
with  a  few  of  the  other  sort  to  be  employed  in  raising  chickens. 
Suppose  a  farmer  keeps  a  stock  of  two  dozen  hens.  Let  eighteen 
of  them  be  perpetual  layers  —  Polands,  black  Spanish,  or  Bolton 
greys, —  and  the  remaining  six  of  the  common  creeper  variety, 
which  are  beyond  comparison  the  best  setters  and  the  best  mothers 
for  chickens.  Keep  the  last  employed  in  setting  and  rearing  chickens 
during  the  spring  and  summer,  and  they  will  not  exhaust  their 
fecundity,  and  will  lay  in  the  winter  those  eggs  which,  had  they 
not  been  employed  as  mothers,  they  would  have  laid  in  the  summer. 
They  will  continue  to  be  profitable  in  this  manner  until  they  are 
three  or  four  years  old.  We  would  remark,  in  this  place,  that 
it  is  a  vulgar  error  to  suppose  that  old  hens  are  the  best  mothers 
or  nurses.  Young  hens  are  decidedly  the  best  to  set,  or  to  rear 
chickens,  being  more  careful  not  to  step  on  them,  and  less  clumsy 
in  their  efforts  to  avoid  doing  so. 

Excepting  the  very  large  breeds,  hens  that  were  hatched  in  April 
or  May  will  begin  to  lay  in  October,  and  if  kept  in  a  warm  place 
and  properly  fed  will  continue  to  lay  all  winter,  and  the  remainder 
of  the  year  until  the  moulting  season.  But  they  do  not,  after 
laying  during  the  fall  and  winter,  commonly  produce  a  great  many 
eggs  in  spring  and  summer.  September  chickens  that  commence 
laying  in  March  and  April,  are  the  most  prolific  in  spring  and 
summer.  Still,  as  autumn  and  winter  laying  is  more  profitable 
than  spring  and  summer  laying,  the  most  valuable  fowls  are  those 
which  produce  the  most  of  their  annual  number  of  eggs  in  cold 
weather,  between  the  months  of  September  and  March.  Six  creeper 
hens  hatched  in    April  or   May,  and   kept  for  mothers,  or  nurses, 


ON  THE   MANAGEMENT   OF   POULTRY.  161 

might  be  made  very  profitable.  They  would  begin  to  lay  in 
October,  and  continue  to  lay  through  the  winter,  and  take  their 
rest  in  summer,  while  employed  in  setting  and  rearing  chickens. 
After  this,  and  when  they  had  finished  their  moulting,  they  would 
lay  again  as  in  the  preceding  fall  and  winter. 

There  is  more  science  in  the  management  of  poultry  than  is 
usually  imagined,  and  more  probably  than-  in  the  care  of  any 
other  domestic  animals.  The  individuals  whom  we  intend  to  em- 
ploy as  mothers  should  belong  to  early  broods  that  will  lay  in 
cold  weather,  because  they  are  to  rest  from  laying  in  warm  weather. 
It  is  of  less  importance  whether  the  perpetual  layers  are  from 
late  or  early  broods.  Creepers  are  the  best  setters,  because  they 
can  almost  stand  in  their  nest  while  brooding  their  eggs,  and  do 
not  become  cramped  by  their  position.  Hence  they  are  not  so 
restless   as    other   hens   while    setting,    and   do  not  roam  so  much 

as  the  long-legged  sorts. 
21 


DESIGN,     No.    XVII. 


PLAN. 


D  D,  Doors.     W  W,  Windows.     L,  Laying  Room.     R,  Roosting  Room. 


DESIGN   NO.    XVII. 


A     POULTRY     HOUSE. 


This  building  is  ten  feet  by  twenty,  divided  into  two  apart- 
ments or  tenements,  and  designed  to  accommodate  twenty-four 
fowls,  twelve  in  each  part.  Each  tenement  is  ten  feet  square, 
opening  by  a  door  at  the  side  of  a  building  opposite  the  window, 
the  window  of  one  part  being  on  the  same  side  Avith  the  door  of 
the  other  part.  Each  door  opens  into  a  separate  yard,  each  con- 
taining an  eighth  of  an  acre,  chiefly  of  grass  land,  a  small  portion 
}f  it  being  spaded.  As  no  family  of  fowls  ought  to  consist  of 
more,  than  ten  or  twelve  hens  to  one  cock,  if  double  this  number 
is  kept  it  is  best  to  confine  them  in  separate  apartments.  In  this 
case,  if  the  owner  wishes  to  experiment  with  any  particular  breed, 
or  variety,  he  has  accommodations  for  the  purpose.  If  he  wishes 
to  keep  only  about  a  dozen  fowls,  it  is  still  a  convenient  arrange- 
ment. 

The  plan  of  the  interior  is  as  follows :  —  The  floor  is  not  boarded, 
because  a  ground  floor  is  more  wholesome,  as  the  surface  may  be 
frequently  removed  and  fresh  loam  thrown  in  for  the  use  of  the 
fowls.  The  division  for  brooding  is  in  the  centre  of  the  building, 
measuring  from  the  ends.  Against  this  are  placed  two  shelves,  or 
platforms,  the  lower  one  three  feet  in  width  and  the  upper  one  two 
feet,  so  that  the  fowls  may  easily  fly  from  one  to  the  other.  The 
lower  shelf  is  three  feet  from  the  ground  and  the  upper  one  two 
feet  above  the  other.  The  height  of  the  building  is  eight  feet  to 
the  eaves.  Upon  the  shelves  are  arranged  boxes  for  nests,  which 
may  be  made  in  any  form  that  may  be  preferred,  except  that  they 
should  be  shallow,  or  sufficiently  filled  with  hay  and  chaff  to  pre- 
vent the  hen  from  stepping  down  from  a  height  upon  her  eggs. 
She  should  not  be  obliged  to  descend  more  than  two  or  thrje 
inches  from  the  entrance  to  reach  her  nest.  The  shelves  will  also 
accommodate  a  box  or  a  barrel  of  grain. 

On  the  two  opposite  outer  ends  of  the  building  are  the  roosts, 


165 


166  A   POULTRY  HOUSE. 

ten  feet  long  and  reaching  from  one  of  the  eaves  to  the  opposite. 
There  is  only  one  roost  in  each  coop,  situated  so  that  the  drop- 
pings shall  fall  upon  the  slide,  which  is  to  be  drawn  out  and 
cleansed  two  or  three  times  a  week.  A  flight  of  steps,  or  a  ladder, 
with  the  steps  about  three  feet  apart,  should  conduct  from  the  floor 
tc  the  roost.  The  slide  is  about  two  feet  wide  and  as  long  as  the 
roost;  it  is  raised  about  two  feet  from  the  ground,  so  that  the 
hens  may  not  lose  the  ground  it  would  occupy.  It  is  drawn  out, 
on  a  platform,  as  seen  on  the  diagram. 

The  feeding  boxes  may  consist  of  any  shallow  vessels  which  it 
may  be  convenient  to  use ;  and  if  there  is  no  running  water  near, 
it  should  be  constantly  supplied  to  the  fowls.  In  winter  the  floor 
should  be  covered  with  chaff  from  the  bottom  of  the  hay-mow, 
from  which  the  fowls  will  peck  large  quantities  of  hay  seed  and 
clover  leaves. 

The  yard  should  be  a  grass  field  containing  an  eighth  of  an 
acre,  and  having  a  close  fence  all  round,  about  four  feet  in  height, 
with  pickets  about  four  feet  in  length  above  the  fence.  The  fowls, 
even  if  they  could  easily  fly  over  the  pickets,  will  not  attempt  it 
in  a  spacious  yard  like  this,  as  long  as  it  contains  a  good  supply 
of  grass ;  and  if  properly  fed  and  managed  such  confinement  would 
not  be  irksome  to  them.  Indeed,  they  would  hardly  be  conscious 
of  any  confinement.  The  advantage  of  a  close  fence  below  is,  that 
under  some  part  of  it  the  fowls  can  take  shelter  at  all  times  and 
seasons,  from  the  wind  in  cold  weather,  and  from  the  sun  in  hot 
weather.     The  yard  should  be  partially  shaded  with  trees. 


XYIII. 

VENTILATION. 

Not  many  persons  are  aware  of  the  full  importance  of  ventilation 
to  health  and  comfort :  and  among  those  who  are  aware  of  it  but 
few  understand  the  methods  by  which  it  may  be  most  prudently  and 
economically  obtained.  In  our  cold  climate  it  would  be  imprudent 
to  allow  a  current  of  outer  air  to  pass  directly  through  an  occupied 
room.  All  ventilation  must  be  effected  in  such  a  manner  as  not  to 
expose  the  occupants  of  the  room  to  a  stream  of  wind.  In  the 
generality  of  country  houses,  sufficient  ventilation  is  obtained  from 
the  doors  and  windows,  which  are  often  very  imperfectly  fitted  to 
exclude  the  wind.  It  would  be  a  wiser  economy  to  build  a  house 
in  so  perfect  a  manner,  as  to  admit  only  so  much  of  the  outer 
air  as  we  choose   to  admit  by  a  proper  system  of  ventilation. 

But  little  space  should  be  occupied  in  writing  a  homily  upon  the 
necessity  of  ventilation.  The  want  of  fresh  air  is  always  painfully 
felt  by  the  occupants  of  a  crowded  hall  which  is  unsupplied  with  a 
good  ventilator,  or  in  a  crowded  rail-road  car  with  the  same  defici- 
ency, even  on  the  coldest  days  of  winter ;  it  is  needless  to  add  that 
they  could  not  remain  in  this  crowded  condition  for  the  space  of 
twelve  hours  without  fatal  consequences  to  some  individuals  of  the 
company.  The  greater  amount  of  health  enjoyed  by  the  children  of 
those  families  who  live  in  comfortable  and  spacious  houses  com- 
pared with  those  who  are  crowded  into  a  few  small  rooms,  is  suffi- 
cient proof  of  the  necessity  of  pure  air.  One's  own  feelings  afford  a 
good  criterion  of  the  purity  of  the  atmosphere  in  an  apartment  which 
we  are  occupying.  If  we  feel  perfectly  brisk  after  sitting  in  it  an 
hour  or  more,  and  can  rise  from  our  seat  without  an  effort,  the  air  is 
pure ;  if  on  the  other  hand,  after  sitting  awhile,  we  feel  an  unac- 
countable languor,  though  we  may  not  suffer  any  difficulty  of  respi- 
ration, the  room  is  imperfectly  ventilated.  In  a  house  as  loosely  put 
together  as  the  greater  part  of  our  country  dwelling-houses,  all  the 
ventilation  that  is  required  may  be  obtained  through  the  loose  dpors 

167 


168  VENTILATION. 

and  windows  ;  but  this  is  as  bad  a  method  of  ventilating  as  of  build- 
in"  a  house.  Every  properly  constructed  house  requires  some  ap- 
paratus for  ventilation,  to  be  used  more  or  less,  according  to  the 
state  of  the  atmosphere.  When  the  wind  is  still  and  the  weather  is 
mild,  or  warm,  more  ventilation  is  necessary  than  when  a  brisk 
northerly  wind  prevails. 

Among  the  different  modes  of  ventilation  the  following  may  be 
mentioned.  In  the  place  of  one  of  the  lower  panels  of  the  door,  is 
inserted  a  rolling  blind,  which  may  be  opened  or  closed.  A  similar 
contrivance  may  be  placed  over  the  door  of  a  sleeping-room.  When 
the  latter  is  without  a  chimney-place,  an  opening  should  be  made  in 
the  wall  into  an  air-flue,  communicating  with  the  garret  or  outer  air. 
This  should  be  constructed  with  a  blind  or  a  valve,  that  can  be 
opened  and  shut  as  may  be  thought  necessary.  The  garret  of  a 
house  should  always  be  ventilated  by  a  judicious  contrivance  made 
for  the  purpose.  If  the  garret  be  well  ventilated,  the  air-flues 
communicating  with  it  will  ventilate  the  rooms  from  which  they 
proceed;  otherwise  the  air  descending  from  the  garret  might  con- 
taminate the  air  in  the  rooms. 

Ventilation  should  not  be  confined  to  our  chambers  and  living- 
rooms,  but  should  be  extended  to  every  closet  and  small  apartment, 
to  whatever  use  it  may  be  devoted.  Our  wearing  apparel  is  kept  in 
a  more  wholesome  condition  in  a  well  ventilated  closet,  and  a  con- 
fined air  is  unfavorable  to  the  preservation  of  meats  and  other  articles 
of  diet.  It  might  be  inferred  from  the  principle  of  preserving  meat 
and  fruits  by  keeping  them  in  air-tight  vessels,  that  the  same  must  be 
preserved  longer  in  a  close  than  in  an  airy  apartment.  Experience 
proves  the  very  reverse  of  this.  In  the  confined  atmosphere  of  a 
small  and  close  room,  the  exhalations  from  one  fermenting  substance 
contaminate  another  substance.  This  fact  is  probably  known  to 
every  experienced  house-keeper.  We  have  known  butter  to  acquire 
a  very  disagreeable  flavor  from  the  atmosphere  of  a  cellar  in  which 
were  some  moulding  vegetables.  If  an  impure  atmosphere  will  pro- 
duce such  effects  upon  an  unorganized  substance,  what  must  be  its 
effects  upon  the  health  of  a  human  being  who.  inhales  its  noxious 
gases,  to  be  circulated  in  the  veins  and  arteries  throughout  his 
system. 

The  ventilation   of  barns  and  stables  is  also  of  incalculable  im- 


VENTILATION.  1G9 

portance  to  the  health  and  good  condition  of  our  domestic  animals, 
and  to  the  preservation  of  their  food.  A  good  method  of  ventilating 
a  barn  or  stable  is  to  place  a  box  or  pipe,  twelve  by  eighteen  inches, 
extending  from  the  cellar  to  the  ridge,  in  the  centre  of  the  building, 
with  an  opening  into  the  pipe,  near  the  top  of  the  stable,  behind  the 
stalls.  This  will  be  sufficient  to  ventilate  the  cellar  and  the  first 
story.  A  ventilator  three  feet  square  on  the  roof,  not  to  exceed 
in  cost  fifteen  dollars,  slated  on  the  four  sides,  would  be  in  good 
proportion,  and  give  a  finished  appearance  to  the  building. 

Windows  of  suitable  size  should  be  placed  in  the  cellar,  on 
opposite  sides,  made  tight  in  cold  weather,  but  kept  open  when 
it  does  not  freeze.  Light  and  air  are  necessary  not  only  to  the 
health  and  comfort  of  living  beings,  but  they  are  also  essential  to 
the  durability  of  timber,  if  it  be  exposed  to  any  degree  of  moisture. 
Ventilation  for  animals  has  been  but  imperfectly  understood  and 
shamefully  neglected  in  the  construction  of  barns  and  stables. 

In  living  and  sleeping-rooms,  ventilation  ought  to  be  conducted 
on  the  following  principles.  The  current  of  air  that  is  admitted 
from  the  outside  should  enter  perpendicularly,  not  horizontally.  If 
it  enter  perpendicularly,  the  ascending  column  of  air  is  broken,  as 
it  were  into  a  spray,  and  unless  it  be  a  very  forcible  current,  there 
would  be  no  perceptible  motion  in  the  air  of  the  room.  If  it  enter 
directly,  or  horizontally,  a  current  of  air  is  produced  along  the 
distance  of  several  feet,  before  it  is  diffused.  Such  currents  of 
air  are  dangerous  to  the  health  of  those  who  are  exposed  to  them, 
even  for  a  few  minutes  only. 

Summer  is  the  time  when  we  most  seriously  feel  the  need  of  a 
good  apparatus  for  ventilating  our  sleeping-rooms.  So  suffocating, 
during  the  warm  nights  of  summer,  is  the  air  of  a  room  which 
is  not  ventilated,  that  the  occupants  are  forced  to  open  a  window, 
though,  by  so  doing,  they  expose  themselves,  while  sleeping,  to  a 
direct  current  of  air,  which  may  become  very  cold  and  damp 
before  morning.  Many  fatal  colds  have  been  contracted  in  this 
manner.  The  only  remedy  for  this  evil  is  to  provide  every  sleeping- 
room  with  a  ventilating  apparatus,  which  can  be  used  without 
exposing  the  occupants  to  a  current  of  air.  No  man  should  neglect 
this  point  when  he  is  building  a  house.  It  is  particularly  necessary 
in  small  sleeping  apartments,  in  which  an  open  window  is  not  so 


170  VENTILATION. 

safe  as  in  a  large  room,  where  the  current  of   air  could  be  more 
generally  diffused  before  it  reached  the  bed. 

The  old-fashioned  sliding  shutters  are  excellent  contrivances  for 
ventilation  from  open  windows.  The  window  may  be  opened  only 
a  few  inches,  if  the  draft  of  air  be  strong,  and  the  lower  shutter 
closed.  The  air,  in  that  case,  enters  the  room  in  a  perpendicular 
current,  at  the  side,  and  is  broken  into  a  spray  before  it  is  circulated 
about  the  room.  In  a  room  that  is  unprovided  with  shutters  of 
this  kind,  a  board  may  be  fitted  to  the  lower  half  of  the  window, 
fastened  with  buttons  on  each  side,  allowing  two  or  three  inches 
of  space  between  the  board  and  the  window,  which  may  then  be 
opened  behind  it  as  behind  a  sliding  shutter. 


DESIGN,     No.   XVIII 


PLAN. 


■'■.■'■    V  -  ^ 


J I I I I I I         i 


l        I 1 1 1 1 r 


W 


W,  Walk  behind  the  Animals.    T,  Manure  Trench.    S,  Stalls.    F,  Feed  Passage 
D,  Driveway.     B,  Bayforllay. 


DESIGN   NO.   XVIII. 


A    MODEL    BARN. 


This  design  is  expressly  calculated  for  the  use  of  those  farmers 
who  have  old  barns  which  are  badly  constructed  but  in  sound 
condition.  Many  of  these  barns,  of  which  there  are  hundreds  in 
Massachusetts,  are  about  thirty  feet  wide,  and  from  fifty  to  a 
hundred  feet  long,  and  with  thorough  remodelling  the  old  frame 
may  be  preserved  and  used  with  advantage.  The  plan  before  us 
is  from  one  eighty  feet  long  —  fifty  for  the  hay-barn  and  thirty 
for  the  stable,  (forty  would  be  preferable).  This  will  accommodate 
sixteen  or  eighteen  full  sized  animals. 

The  hay-barn  is  low  and  narrow,  but  it  will  hold,  when  well 
packed,  forty-five  tons  of  hay,  and  leave  room  for  grain.  The 
corn  fodder  can  be  placed  over  the  stable. 

The  scaffold  over  the  drive-way  should  all  be  so  framed  as  to 
be  movable  seven  feet  high  or  more,  in  the  clear;  by  means  of 
side  girts  and  laying  the  floor  joist  on  them,  we  obtain  the  use 
of  the  drive-way  for  all  common  purposes,  and  the  space  above 
will  hold  a  large  amount  of  fodder. 

The  common  barn-doors  should  be  hung  to  swing  inside,  where- 
ever  it  is  practicable;  when  thus  hung  they  are  more  convenient 
and  manageable.  They  should  be  made  with  stout  wide  battens 
and  wrought  nails. 

A  stable  of  this  kind  in  which  horses  are  to  be  kept,  should 
head  towards  the  walls  of  the  building,  with  ventilating  windows 
under  the  cribs,  made  to  turn  on  a  pivot  in  the  centre  of  the  sash. 
All  stables  should  be  ventilated  in  such  a  manner  that  the  current 
of  air  shall  sweep  the  floor,  with  suitable  openings  at  the  top 
for  the  escape  of  foul  air. 

The  cost  of  altering  an  old  barn  and  modelling  it  according 
to  this  plan,  would  not  be  far  from  five  hundred  dollars.  To 
build  one  entirely  new  would  cost  not  less  than  thirteen  hundred. 
The   hay-barn   may   be   fitted  up   at  small   expense.      The   stable 

173 


174  ESTIMATE   FOR   DESIGN   NO.    XVIII. 

should  be  made  tight  and  warm,  with  a  slide  door  between  the 
drive-way  and  feed-passage. 

When  our  New  England  farmers  shall  have  separated  the  animals 
from  the  hay-barn,  and  shall  no  longer  leave  the  manure  standing 
under  the  hay,  we  shall  witness  a  valuable  improvement. 

The  basement  is  designed  to  have  doors  on  both  sides,  and  is 
calculated  for  storing  all  kinds  of  farming  implements.  Such  a 
provision  for  tools  is  needful  for  every  well  ordered  farm. 

The  manure  cellar  has  doors  on  both  sides ;  large  windows  are 
represented  on  the  plan,  hinged  at  the  bottom,  for  ventilation  in 
warm  weather. 

The  entrance  to  the  stable  is  at  the  end,  up  an  inclined  plane 
protected  by  guard  rails. 


ESTIMATE   FOR   DESIGN  NO.   XVLTI. 

HAT    BARN. 

4,000  feet  square  timber,                   $15.00  per  M.  $60.00 

13,000     "    boards  and  joist,                 17.00       "...  221.00 

16,000  shingles,  $6.25  per  M.,  laid, 100.00 

400  lbs.  nails,  4^  cents  per  lb., 18.00 

5  windows,  sash  and  finish,  $4  each, 20.00 

3  large  doors  and  trimmings,  $12  each,       .         .         .     '    .  36.00 

Framing,  raising,  and  boarding  roof, 65.00 

Covering  walls, 20.00 

Laying  floors, 30.00 

Finishing  carriage  room, 15.00 

170  feet  jut  finish,  25  cents  per  foot, ,  42.50 

Ventilator, 35.00 

Extra  labor,  collecting  materials,  &c, 60.00 

$722.50 

STABLE. 

11,000  feet  boards,  timber  and  joist,  SI 6  per  M.,        .         .         .  SI 76.00 

10,000  shingles,  $6.25  per  M.,  laid, 62.50 

Framing,  raising,  and  boarding  roof, 55.00 

Finishing  stalls,  stairs,  &c, 100.00 


ESTIMATE   FOR   DESIGN   NO.    XVIII. 


175 


Laying  floors,       .  '     . 
Covering  walls,         .... 
96  feet  jut  finish,  25  cents  per  foot, . 

9  windows  and  frames,  $3  each,. 

5  doors,  with  trimmings,  $5  each,    . 
500  lbs.  nails,  4£  cents  per  lb., 
Extra  labor,  and  fixtures,     . 


30.00 
20.00 
24.00 
27.00 
25.00 
22.50 
50.00 


This  Estimate  is  above  the  foundation. 


$592.00 
722.50 

$1314.50 


The  estimate  here  given  may  be  applied  to  most  of  the  plans  for  barns 
in  this  work,  by  adopting  the  same  rule,  whether  larger  or  smaller.  First 
find  the  amount  of  board  measure  in  all  the  lumber  required,  and  the  value 
of  the  same ;  also,  of  all  other  materials  which  may  be  wanted.  Whatever 
the  sum  total  may  be,  take  three-fourths  of  the  amount  for  the  labor,  and 
when  this  is  added  to  the  lumber  bill  you  have  the  estimate  of  the  whole 
expense,  above  the  foundation,  as  near  as  it  can  be  made.  The  prices  of 
lumber  and  of  labor  are  constantly  varying;  but  the  estimates  are  based  on 
the  computation  of  $1.75  per  day  for  labor,  and  $15  a  thousand  for  com- 
mon lumber. 


XIX. 

ON  THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  HIGHWAYS. 

It  is  remarkable  that  so  little  has  been  said  in  our  public  journals 
on  the  proper  construction  of  roads,  especially  with  reference  to  their 
effects  in  landscape.  A  great  deal  has  been  written  concerning  the 
planting  of  shade  trees,  but  very  little  on  the  proper  width  and 
direction  of  the  roads  on  which  they  are  planted.  It  seems  to  be 
generally  understood,  that  if  they  enable  the  traveller  to  perform  his 
journey  in  the  safest  manner  and  quickest  time,  all  that  is  necessary 
has  been  accomplished.  These,  it  is  true,  are  the  most  desirable 
ends ;  but  it  is  a  great  error  to  suppose  that  pleasantness  of  prospect, 
variety  of  course,  and  those  numerous  circumstances  which  are 
valued  by  the  man  who  is  journeying  for  pleasure,  are  to  be  over- 
looked. 

The  general  complaint  in  reference  to  roads  is  that  they  are  too 
narrow.  This  is  a  fact  particularly  worthy  of  notice  in  a  country 
where  land  is  so  cheap,  and  so  barren  that  a  wide  road  would  be  the 
greatest  recommendation  of  almost  any  locality.  Houses  are  put 
up  along  these  narrow  roads,  so  near  their  bounds,  that  it  becomes 
necessary  to  build  a  fence  in  front  of  them,  to  prevent  the  horses 
which  are  hitched  by  the  sidewalk  from  putting  their  heads  through 
the  windows.  Hence,  even  in  our  smaller  country  villages,  the 
inhabitants  are  excessively  annoyed  by  dust  from  the  streets,  and 
suffer  many  of  those  inconveniences  which  ought  to  be  tolerated 
only  in  the  city  where  they  cannot  be  avoided. 

The  most  of  our  cross-roads  are  laid  out  by  speculators  in  real 
estate ;  and  in  many  cases,  in  the  centre  of  a  village,  a  sufficient 
width  might  be  impracticable  by  too  greatly  reducing  the  size  of 
the  building  lots.  But  wherever  a  wide  road  could  be  conveniently 
made,  speculators  might  obtain  advantage  from  it,  by  the  consequent 
greater  value  of  the  house  lots  adjoining  it,  compared  with  those 
adjoining  a  narrow  road.  There  are  but  few  men  who  would  not 
pay  more  for  a  quarter  of  an  acre  of  land  on  a  wide  road,  with  a 

176 


ON   THE   CONSTRUCTION   OF   HIGHWAYS.  177 

wide  sidewalk  between  their  enclosures  and  its  dusty  centre,  than 
they  would  pay  for  the  same  quantity  of  land  on  a  narrow  road, 
with  a  sidewalk  only  three  or  four  feet  wide. 

What  improvements  ought  then  to  be  made  in  the  construction 
of  our  high-roads  ?  When  a  road  is  already  laid  out,  of  the  common 
width,  and  does  not  admit  of  being  widened,  the  evil  in  many 
situations  might  be  remedied  by  locating  the  houses  a  proportional 
greater  distance  from  its  boundaries.  The  dwellings,  in  this  case, 
would  be  less  exposed  to  the  dust,  and  the  shade  trees  would  have 
more  room  to  expand  in  all  directions.  How  often  do  we  see  a  row 
of  noble  trees  divested  of  nearly  all  their  branches  on  the  inner  side 
because  the  house  is  too  near  them.  Their  symmetry  is  destroyed, 
and  many  inconveniences  are  suffered  from  the  close  proximity  of 
the  trees  to  the  house.  Shade  trees  ought  to  be  far  enough  from  the 
windows  to  be  seen  in  their  full  proportions  by  the  occupants  of  the 
house,  that  they  may  have  the  pleasure  of  viewing  them  as  well  a3 
of  enjoying  their  shade.  Vines  are  for  the  walls  of  a  house,  and 
trees  for  the  lawn  at  a  little  distance  from  it. 

One  or  two  rods  added  to  the  width  of  most  of  our  roads  would 
be  an  unquestionable  improvement.  Let  them  be  so  wide  that  ten 
feet  of  sidewalk  might  be  made  between  the  fence  and  the  shade 
trees.  Ample  space  would  then  be  left  for  the  proprietor  of  the 
house  to  plant  other  trees,  in  his  own  enclosures,  without  interfering 
with  those  on  the  road-side.  The  houses  ought,  wherever  it  is 
practicable,  to  be  placed  several  rods  from  the  bounds,  and  this 
space  should  be  open  lawn,  unincumbered  with  shrubbery.  Travel- 
lers then,  as  they  are  passing,  have  a  good  view  of  the  house  from 
beneath  a  canopy  of  shade  afforded  by  the  trees,  instead  of  seeing 
them  half  covered  by  trees  growing  closely  against  the  windows, 
and  concealed  by  a  tangled  mass  of  shrubbery.  All  roads  ought 
to  be  of  sufficient  width  to  permit  a  row  of  the  largest  trees  on  each 
side  to  spread  their  branches  without  interfering  with  those  opposite 
to  them. 

Our  country  is  still  new.  Thousands  of  roads  will  be  laid  out, 
annually,  for  fifty  years  to  come.  The  public  ought,  therefore,  to 
realize  the  necessity  of  building  them  in  such  a  manner  as  shall 
best  contribute  to  the  convenience  of  the  inhabitants,  to  the  pleas- 
antness of  travel,  and  the  beautiful  display  of  sqencry.     The  increase 


178  "on  the  construction  of  highways. 

-'■■■.  ■         . 

of  expense  consequent  upon  such  improvements  would  be  hardly 
appreciable;  and  a  saving  might  "be  made,  in  some  instances,  by 
omitting  certain  alterations  which  are  not  improvements.  The 
authorities  of  a  town,  for  example,  often  spend,  annually,  a  great 
deal  of  money  for  the  purpose  of  straightening  certain  curves  and 
angles  which  greatly  contribute  to  the  beauty  of  the  route.  A  road 
winds  gracefully  around  a  rocky  eminence,  overgrown  with  trees  and 
shrubbery,  and  enamelled  with  flowers.  To  shorten  the  distance 
between  two  points,  the  town  appropriates  several  hundred  dollars, 
which  are  expended  in  levelling  this  beautiful  eminence.  The  road 
is  made  shorter  and  straighter ;  but  this  agreeable  curve,  and  the 
shade  offered  by  the  trees  and  shrubs  that  nodded  over  the  cliff,  are 
destroyed.  This  description  of  work  is  a  very  doubtful  economy. 
Had  the  same  money  been  spent  for  planting  shade  trees  along  the 
bleak  portions  of  this  road,  to  protect  men  and  horses  from  the  heat 
of  the  sun,  they  would  have  preferred  a  little  longer  distance,  with 
such  advantages,  to  a  shorter  one  without  them. 

The  direction  which  a  road  should  follow  must  generally  be  under 
the  control  of  the  commissioners.  The  nearest  course  between  the 
two  points  which  it  connects  is  usually  marked  out  as  the  most 
convenient  and  proper.  It  would  be  idle  to  say  to  the  road-com- 
missioners that  a  road  ought  to  be  carried  round  a  hill  or  over  a 
hill,  or  in  any  particular  direction,  for  picturesque  effect,  or  the 
advantages  of  prospect.  They  choose  to  build  the  road  on  a  prin- 
ciple that  is  strictly  utilitarian.  A  commissioner  who,  for  the  sake 
of  commanding  a  pleasant  view  of  certain  scenery,  should  cause  a 
road  of  fifteen  miles  in  length  to  be  made  half  a  mile  longer  than 
absolute  necessity  required,  would  be  likely  to  be  voted  out  of  office 
at  the  next  election.  Yet  it  might  be  proved  to  the  veriest  matter- 
of-fact  calculation,  that  from  sole  regard  to  •dollars  and  cents,  it 
would  be  better  to  lay  out  a  road  so  as  to  secure  all  possible 
advantages  of  landscape,  especially  in  the  vicinity  of  a  town,  even 
at  a  little  additional  cost.  If  the  scenes  on  the  road  are  pleasing 
and  striking,  or  if  it  be  agreeably  located  and  sheltered,  a  greater 
temptation  is  offered  to  visitors  to  purchase  land  and  build  houses 
there.  Hence  the  burden  of  supporting  the  road  is  proportionally 
lessened  by  the  increased  number  of  tax-payers,  who  have  come  from 
abroad ;    and  if  you  and  your  neighbors  have  sold  land  advanta- 


ON   THE    CONSTRUCTION   OF    niCIIWAYS.  170 

geously,  on  account  of  the  agreeable  situation  of  this  new  road, 
you  are  all  proportionally  better  able  to  pay  your  highway  taxes. 

Our  mere  utilitarians  have  not  sufficiently  considered  the  fact 
that  two  roads  may  pursue  a  different  course  to  and  from  the  same 
places  and  seldom  lose  sight  of  one  another, —  yet  one  may  be  a 
very  delightful  route,  and  the  other  a  very  dull  and  uninteresting  one. 
Suppose  the  former  were  five  per  cent  longer  than  the  latter — who 
would  not  prefer  (unless  he  was  on  an  errand  requiring  great  haste) 
the  long  and  pleasant  road,  to  the  shorter  one  which  is  not  so  well 
sheltered  and  is  barren  of  prospect?  Who  builds  a  house,  from 
choice,  upon  a  turnpike  road?  Its  straight,  monotonous,  dreary, 
and  commercial  aspect  renders  such  a  road  repulsive ;  and  the  old 
winding  road  is  preferred,  by  travellers,  without  reference  to  the 
saving  of  toll.  A  few  houses  are  built  upon  it ;  but  they  bear  no 
comparison  in  number  to  those  built,  during  the  same  period,  on 
the  old  country  road. 

It  might  be  supposed  that  a  road,  leading  the  traveller  nearly  to 
the  summit  of  a  hill,  would  afford  him  some  wide  and  distant  pros- 
pects, not  to  be  seen  from  one  that  winds  round  it.  This  may  be 
true,  and  the  winding  course  may  still  be  preferable.  Prospects 
are  not  all  which  we  require  to  make  a  journey  agreeable.  The 
pleasant  and  sheltered  aspect  of  all  the  home  scenery  along  the 
route  is  far  more  important  to  the  interest  of  the  route  than  distant 
prospects.  The  straight  road,  like  the  old  turnpikes,  leading  over 
the  summit  of  the  hills,  affords  a  broader  prospect  than  the  road 
that  leads  round  them,  but  the  views  from  the  last  are  far  more 
interesting.  One  of  the  advantages  resulting  from  the  numerous 
turns  and  windings  in  a  road,  consists  in  the  agreeable  surprises 
occurring  when,  after  riding  round  a  wood,  or  an  eminence,  we 
are  struck  by  the  view  of  a  charming  scene  that  was  concealed  by 
the  intervening  hill  or  wood.  We  cannot  in  general  meet  with 
these  surprises  in  a  straight  road,  because,  whether  we  are  ascend- 
ing a  hill  or  passing  over  a  level,  we  have  constantly  a  partial  sight 
of  approaching  scenes.  But  the  advantages  afforded  by  roads 
which  follow  the  general  level  of  the  country,  for  pleasant  and  well 
protected  residences,  are  beyond  all  comparison  superior  to  those 
afforded  by  straight  roads. 

One  of  the  most  delightful  routes  in  the  vicinity  of  Boston,  is 


180  ON  THE   CONSTRUCTION   OF   HIGHWAYS. 

the  old  road  between  Beverly  and  Gloucester.  This  is  a  crooked 
road  that  follows  to  a  considerable  extent  the  inequalities  of  the 
coast.  The  beauties  of  this  route  are  not  wholly  confined  to  the 
sea-views ;  they  are  created,  in  a  great  measure,  by  the  numerous 
windings  around  the  cliffs  and  promontories,  which  are  a  peculiar 
feature  of  that  coast,  and  are  almost  entirely  covered  with  pine 
woods.  Still,  the  sea-views  are  unquestionably  its  principal  attrac- 
tion. The  traveller  catches  constant  glimpses  of  the  ocean,  through 
the  openings,  and  is  frequently  surprised  with  a  sudden  view  of 
its  broad  expanse,  when  emerging  from  a  valley  between  two 
wooded  hills,  or  coming  round  an  angle  in  the  road  formed  by 
an  almost  perpendicular  cliff.  These  turns,  or  windings,  in  the 
road,  reveal  numerous  pleasantly  sheltered  houses  and  farms,  and 
produce  a  constant  change  and  variety  of  prospect;  sometimes 
rude  and  wild,  then  smooth  and  cultivated ;  for  the  country  seats 
which  have  lately  been  erected  on  this  shore  have  added  a  new 
feature  to  its  wild  and  romantic  scenery. 

Any  rules  for  road-making  with  reference  to  the  pleasantness  of 
travel,  must  necessarily  be  general.  By  entering  minutely  into 
details  one  might  commit  the  error  of  making  rules  that  could 
not  be  carried  into  practice.  If  road-makers  were  but  convinced 
of  the  expediency  of  paying  regard  to  the  principles  of  taste  in 
laying  out  a  road,  they  would  be  likely  to  pursue  the  right  course. 
There  is  but  little  disagreement  among  men  concerning  what  con- 
stitutes an  eligible  situation  for  a  residence,  a  pleasant  route,  or  an 
agreeable  prospect;  but  many  have  never  entertained  a  thought 
of  taking  these  circumstances  into  consideration  in  laying  out  a 
road.  We  would  simply  recommend,  whenever  it  is  practicable, 
and  expedient,  to  construct  roads  in  such  a  direction  as  may  afford 
the  greatest  number  of  pleasant  and  sheltered  locations  for  the 
houses  of  the  people. 


D  E  S  I  G  N,  No.  XIX 


BAST  FRONT. 


NORTH  END 


DESIGN,     No.    XIX. 


PLAN. 


W,  Walk  behind  the  Animals.    T,  Manure  Trench.    S,  Stalls.    C,  Crib.    F,  Feed  Passage. 
R,  Root  Cellar.    L,  Cellar  for  storing  Loam,  etc. 


DESIGN    NO.   XIX. 


A     SIDE-HILL     BARN. 


This  design  is  intended  for  locations  that  are  very  uneven  or  hilly. 
The  plans  given  are  the  elevation  of  the  lowest  side  and  one  end, 
with  a  ground  plan  of  the  stable  and  cellar.  It  will  accommodate 
fourteen  cows,  and  contains  room  for  fifty  tons  of  hay  and  the  usual 
amount  of  grain  and  corn  fodder.  The  hay-barn  is  fifty  by  thirty  six 
feet,  eighteen  feet  posts,  with  a  lean-to  fifty  by  thirteen  feet,  eleven 
feet  posts.  There  is  a  manure  cellar  under  the  stable  nine  feet  deep, 
with  two  doors  in  the  centre,  opening  a  space  of  eighteen  feet  wide, 
and  side  windows  for  light  and  air. 

A  cellar  under  the  hay-barn  will  be  on  a  level  with  the  stable ;  the 
entrance  will  be  under  the  bridge,  or  drive-way,  at  the  east  or  west 
end  as  the  case  may  require.  A  portion  of  it  may  be  used  for  a  root 
cellar  by  inserting  a  partition  where  it  is  represented.  The  remain- 
der can  be  used  for  housing  carts,  sleds,  and  all  kinds  of  farming 
implements,  and  dry  loam  for  winter  use,  as  an  absorbent  of  liquid 
manure.  The  stable  being  below  the  main  barn,  the  animals  will  be 
fed  from  the  drive-way  through  a  slide  in  the  crib.  There  is  a  tight 
board  partition  on  the  side  of  the  drive-way  with  three  feet  of  the 
lower  portion  of  it  hinged  at  the  top,  to  swing  back  at  the  time  of 
feeding,  and  making  a  complete  separation  between  the  stable  and 
hay-barn ;  also  a  flight  of  stairs  to  the  manure-cellar  and  drive-way 
near  the  entrance  of  the  stable,  with  door  at  the  top. 

By  locating  a  barn  in  this  manner,  we  secure  many  important 
objects;  such  as  a  root  cellar  on  the  same  level  with  the  stable, 
allowing  the  roots  to  be  apportioned  to  the  cattle  without  carrying 
them  out  of  the  cellar.  It  also  allows  a  sufficient  amount  of  loam 
to  be  stored  when  it  is  dry,  on  a  level  with  the  stable,  which  is  easily 
applied  with  a  wheel-barrow  once  a  day.  The  animals  occupy  only 
about  six  hundred  and  fifty  cubic  feet  each ;  and  if  the  stable  is  filled, 
their  animal  heat  will  be  sufficient  to  keep  the  temperature  above 
freezing,   in   common   winter   weather,  with    a   healthy  ventilatidn. 

24  185 


186  A    SIDE-HILL    BARN. 

Two  ventilating  tubes  to  convey  the  gases  which  cannot  be  retained, 
are  seen  in  front  of  the  cows'  crib,  extending  above  the  roof;  the 
same  tubes  will  be  used  for  ventilating  near  the  roof  over  the 
animals.  There  will  be  a  ventilating  tube  near  the  centre  post, 
leading  from  the  main  cellar  to  the  cupola,  twelve  by  twenty 
inches,  made  tight.  Cellar  windows  of  liberal  size  are  marked 
on  the  plan. 

The  object  of  the  bridge  is  to  make  the  cellar  easy  of  access, 
and  to  save  filling  up,  and  to  be  used  as  a  drive-way.  It  requires 
but  a  small  amount  of  stone-work  and  filling. 

The  stable  should  be  covered  with  sound  matched  boards,  and 
the  hay -barn  may  be  covered  with  narrow  square-edged  boards,  and 
white-washed  with  white  lime  once  in  three  years. 

The  estimated  cost  of  a  barn,  according  to  this  design,  finished 
in  a  plain  substantial  manner,  will  be  about  nine  hundred  and  fifty 
dollars. 


XX. 

TREES  BY  THE  ROADSIDE  AND  IN  OUR  ENCLOSURES. 

Many  objections  have  been  made  to  the  planting  of  shade  trees 
near  our  dwellings,  and  in  some  cases  by  the  roadside,  on  account 
of  the  dampness  occasioned  by  them  in  the  one  case,  and  the  injury 
they  do  by  shading  the  fields  in  the  other,  Tree  planting  in  these 
situations  may  undoubtedly  be  carried  to  excess,  and  it  is  well  to 
consider  a  few  of  the  rules  by  which  we  should  be  governed.  We 
have  seen  men  diligently  employed  in  setting  out  trees  by  the  high- 
way, when  they  would  be  acting  more  wisely  if  they  neglected  the 
roadside,  and  used  their  influence  to  prevent  the  sacrifice  of  a 
beautiful  knoll  of  trees  and  shrubbery  in  close  proximity  to  the  road, 
which  another  party  was  felling  for  fuel.  Our  Tree  Associations 
should  avoid  giving  their  exclusive  attention  to  the  planting  of  trees 
by  the  roadside,  and  look  out  for  the  preservation  of  those  pleasing 
groups  of  wood  and  shrubbery  that  already  exist,  or  adopt  measures 
to  secure  a  new  growth  in  those  elevated  spots  which  are  beautiful 
when  wooded  and  unsightly  when  bald  and  barren,  and  which  are 
unsuitable  either  for  tillage  or  pasture. 

It  has  been  usual  to  plant  indiscriminately  on  both  sides  of  the 

road,  and  in  all  situations,  without  considering  that  both  sides  do 

not  always  equally  require  the  protection  of  trees,  and  that  certain 

kinds  of  soils  and  situations  are  not  suitable  for  some  species.     One 

of  the  objections  to  roadside  trees  is  that  they  shade  land  that  is 

contiguous  to  them.      This  objection  may  be  obviated,  whenever 

the  course  of  the  road  is  east  and  west,  by  planting  them  only  on 

the  south  side,  since  on  this  side  their  shadows  would  be  cast  upon 

the  road  instead  of  the  adjoining  fields.     We  are  not  liable  to  go 

to  an  extreme  in  the  general  planting  of  trees ;  but  we  may  go  to 

an  extreme  in  planting  them  in  particular  places.      It  may  be  a 

question  whether  the  public  has  a  right  to  shade  a  man's  grounds 

injuriously  by  roadside  trees,  and  also  whether  a  private  individual 

187     . 


188  TREES   BY   THE   ROADSIDE. 

has  a  right  to  destroy  a  noble  tree  on  his  own  premises,  which  has 
for  many  years  beautified  the  landscape  and  shaded  the  highway. 

There  are  situations  where  plantations  o£  trees  might  be  made 
near  the  public  road,  which  would  be  highly  favorable  to  the  beauty 
of  landscape,  and  valuable  for  shade  and  protection.  Such  are  those 
steep  eminences,  comprising  half  an  acre  or  more,  around  which  the 
road  makes  an  elliptical  turn.  It  may  be  a  rocky  declivity  or  a 
barren  sand  hill;  but  if  it  be  destitute  of  trees,  it  deserves  to  be 
planted,  and  it  would  be  better  to  neglect  the  roadside  than  such 
places.  There  is  no  comparison  between  the  beauty  of  one  such 
spot  which  is  well  wooded,  and  another  that  is  bald.  A  traveller 
may  be  annoyed  by  trees  by  the  roadside  that  conceal  the  prospect, 
and  tire  him  by  their  uniformity ;  but  he  could  not  fail  to  be  delight- 
ed with  a  wood  on  one  of  these  conspicuous  elevations,  and  almost 
painfully  affected  by  the  want  of  it.  A  hundred  trees  grouped  as 
they  are  by  nature  on  such  a  spot  are  more  ornamental  to  the 
landscape  than  the  same  number  of  trees  skirting  the  highway ;  but 
each  want  should  be  properly  and  judiciously  supplied. 

In  some  of  our  old  roads,  the  wild  wood  and  shrubbery  have  come 
up  spontaneously  in  pleasing  irregularity.  Sometimes  for  a  mile 
along  their  course,  though  there  is  no  appearance  of  a  single  tree 
that  was  planted  by  human  hands,  birches,  pines,  maples,  and  several 
other  species  appear,  singly,  in  groups,  or  more  often  in  broken  rows. 
The  appearance  of  this  wood  scenery,  thus  irregularly  grouped,  and 
of  the  accompanying  shrubbery  that  half  conceals  the  old  stone 
walls,  is  exceedingly  delightful  to  the  traveller.  Yet  in  many 
instances  all  this  has  been  destroyed  by  the  very  persons  who 
should  have  protected  it,  to  make  room  for  prim  rows  of  maples  or 
limes,  at  proper  distances  apart.  This  sort  of  work  may  be  neces- 
sary to  a  certain  extent,  when  the  extension  of  a  populous  village 
requires  the  destruction  of  all  picturesque  objects ;  but  until  that 
necessity  arrives,  we  should  be  careful  to  avoid  deforming  the 
features  of  nature  by  casting  them  in  an  artificial  mould. 

When  we  are  about  to  make  one  of  these  plantations,  a  great 
deal  of  skill  is  required  to  avoid  uniformity  in  their  arrangement. 
But  the  error  which  is  most  likely  to  be  committed,  is  that  of  blend- 
ing the  different  species  of  trees  too  equally.  If  a  hundred  trees 
were  to  be  set  out  on  a  knoll,  with  the  intention  of  forming  them 


TREES   BY  THE   ROADSIDE.  189 

into  a  picturesque  group,  the  planter,  perhaps,  would  select  twenty- 
trees  respectively  of  five  different  species,  and  mix  them  in  such  a 
manner  as  that  there  shall  be  in  no  part  a  predominance  of  one  kind. 
A  careful  observer  will  find  that  nature  never  blends  her  trees  or  any 
other  plants  in  this  way.  He  will  observe  that  in  one  natural  wood 
the  majority  of  the  trees  are  pines,  with  an  occasional  individual,  or 
group,  of  some  other  species  scattered  among  them;  in  another  wood 
the  general  growth  consists  of  oaks,  or  beeches,  or  maples,  with 
pines  and  other  trees  interspersed.  We  seldom  find  a  natural  wood 
in  which  the  several  species  of  trees  are  so  equally  blended  that  we 
cannot  perceive  at  once  the  excessive  predominance  of  one  kind. 

Hence,  in  making  a  plantation,  if  we  would  give  it  a  natural 
appearance,  we  should  be  as  careful  to  avoid  a  thorough  inter- 
mixture of  species,  as  to  avoid  regular  rows,  or  any  other  kind  of 
uniformity  in  their  arrangement.  A  good  rule  for  our  guidance 
would  be  to  decide  in  the  first  place  what  species  should  predomi- 
nate. Suppose  the  white  pine  be  selected  for  this  purpose ;  the 
whole  tract  should  be  covered  with  trees  of  this  species  the  first 
season.  The  next  season  fill  all  the  vacancies  created  by  those 
which  are  dead,  or  injured,  with  hardwood  trees  of  such  kinds  as 
may  be  desired.  When  the  plantation  has  attained  its  growth,  it 
will  be  a  pine  wood,  with  a  pleasing  and  apparently  spontaneous 
intermixture  of  deciduous  trees. 

A  few  remarks  may  be  added  in  regard  to  trees  near  our  dwel- 
ling-houses. It  is  not  true  that  we  cannot  have  too  many  trees 
in  such  situations.  Indeed,  it  would  be  unquestionably  better  for 
the  health  that  there  should  be  too  few  than  too  many  trees  near 
our  houses,  shutting  out  the  sun  and  preserving  a  constant  dampness 
in  and  around  them.  AIL  shade  trees  should  be  planted  at  such  a 
distance  as  to  afford  each  tree  room  to  expand  to  its  fullest  dimen- 
sions, without  extending  its  branches  over  any  part  of  the  house, 
leaving  amp|c  space  for  the  sun. to  shine  upon  the  roof  and  the 
walls,  and  to  dry  up  all  the  dampness  to  which  they  are  constantly 
exposed.  A  disagreeable  coolness  and  chilliness  of  the  atmosphere 
is  always  perceptible,  as  soon  as  the  sun  begins  to  decline,  at  the 
open  doors  and  windows  of  a  house  that  is  densely  surrounded  by 
trees,  during  all  the  season  while  they  are  in  leaf. 

In   a   somewhat  crowded   village,  with   narrow    streets,   we   are 


190  TREES   BY   THE   ROADSIDE. 

obliged  to  plant  trees  very  near  our  dwellings,  or  dispense  with 
them  altogether.  For  such  situations  those  species  should  be 
selected  that  run  up  tall  and  slender,  with  much  spread  of  their 
lateral  branches.  In  this  respect  the  Lombardy  poplar  surpasses 
all  other  trees  in  the  known  world,  and  is  unquestionably  the  best 
tree  to  be  planted  in  narrow  roads  Or  enclosures.  Trees  of  this 
species  are  sometimes  partially  winter-killed ;  but  so  vigorous  is 
their  growth,  that  if  the  decayed  limbs  be  removed,  the  gap  will 
be  immediately  filled  with  new  and  healthy  branches.  They  have 
a  dense  and  beautiful  foliage,  unsurpassed  in  the  liveliness  of  its 
verdure,  and  in  its  balsamic  and  healthful  odors,  and  they  charm 
the  eye  at  all  times  by  the  musical  fluttering  of  their  leaves.  The 
Lombardy  poplar  is,  likewise,  beyond  all  other  trees  a  favorite  resort 
for  our  familiar  singing  birds.  The  nests  of  the  common  robin,  the 
vireo,  the  summer  yellow-bird,  and  the  indigo-bird,  are  constantly 
found  among  their  branches,  which  on  account  of  their  dense  and 
peculiar  growth  afford  them  unusual  facilities  for  building  and  con- 
cealing their  nests.  A  great  deal  of  senseless  ridicule  has  been 
cast  upon  this  tree ;  but  it  is  the  only  species  that  ought  to  be 
planted  in  the  narrow  streets  and  enclosures  of  some  of  our  towns. 
At  a  sufficient  distance  from  the  house  to  allow  the  sun  to  shine 
freely  upon  every  part  of  it  during  a  portion  of  the  day,  too  many 
trees  are  not  likely  to  be  planted.  It  is  only  in  close  proximity 
to  the  house  that  they  are  injurious.  The  sun's  rays  should  never 
be  obstructed  from  our  windows  by  foliage.  The  house  should  be 
shaded  by  window  blinds,  and  not  by  trees,  which  should  only  be 
near  enough  to  enable  the  inmates  of  the  house,  in  the  hot  days  of 
summer,  to  take  shelter  under  them  without  inconvenience,  and  to 
afford  them  the  pleasure  of  listening  from  their  windows,  to  the 
singing-birds,  whose  melodies  constitute  one  of  the  principal  charms 
of  the  morning  and  evening,  in  spring  and  early  summer. 


DESIGN,   No.  XX. 


EAST    SIDE, 


SOUTH    END. 


DESIGN,  No.  XX, 


PLAN. 

—^mcairr-rr  r  iiiiiiihMiir  ihesc 


I 


i-***---  <■ 


r>' ■/■<"-,  ■■('■' ' 


VS^-  \\'i.  ■     ['' 


— — ,  ■      ^     >._./    *r|y).| 


11  1         *         u 


M,  Manure  Shed.     TV,  TValk  behind  the  Animals.     T,  Manure  Trench.     S,  Stalls. 
D,  Driveway.     B,  Bay  for  Hay. 


DESIGN   NO.   XX. 


A     BARN     FOR     A     LEVEL     SITUATION. 


Barns  of  this  description  have  been  in  use  a  number  of  years, 
having  a  drive-way  lengthwise  through  the  centre.  Many  of  them 
have  manure  cellars  underneath.  But  the  larger  number  of  these  are 
tight  cellars,  without  proper  ventilation,  for  the  lack  of  which  the 
timbers  and  floors  decay  in  a  very  short  time.  The  gases  which 
accumulate  under  all  barns,  if  not  taken  up  by  absorbents,  will  pene- 
trate the  solid  wood,  and  press  through  every  crevice  in  escaping  to 
the  space  above,  where  they  mix  with  the  breath  of  the  animals, 
injuring  their  health  and  condition,  and  contaminating  the  hay. 
These  gases  will  penetrate  through  a  mow  of  hay  of  almost  any 
size,  and  change  its  color  and  injure  its  flavor.  If  such  a  barn  is 
tight  and  warm,  the  roof  and  upper  portion  will  be  covered  inside 
with  frost  of  considerable  thickness,  in  cold  weather.  When  the 
sun's  rays  warm  the  roof  of  the  building,  the  frost  melts  and  drops 
on  the  hay  and  grain,  and  communicates  to  them  not  only  its 
dampness  but  the  foulness  which  comes  with  it  from  the  roof. 

All  these  evils  may  be  overcome  with  small  expense.  In  the  first 
place,  it  is  necessary  to  have  a  ventilator  on  the  roof  for  every  forty 
feet  of  its  length,  to  be  at  least  five  feet  square,  with  open  slats  on 
all  sides,  four  feet  high.  The  cost  in  plain  style  would  be  about 
twenty  dollars.  Then  construct  two  air  tubes  from  the  cellar  to  the 
ventilator  on  the  roof.  These  should  be  made  of  sound,  jointed  and 
matched  boards,  sixteen  by  twelve  inches  square,  placed  near  one  of 
the  centre  posts,  the  upper  portion  being  at  an  angle  of  forty  degrees 
or  more. 

Next  we  should  provide  two  cellar  windows  to  every  twenty  feet 
in  the  length  of  the  barn  cellar,  with  a  tube  of  the  same  size  of  the 
window  (three  lights,  nine  by  twelve),  to  conduct  the  air  down  to  the 
bottom  of  the  cellar.  This  will  produce  a  current  of  air  at  the 
bottom  instead  of  the  top.  Windows  should  be  placed  in  opposite 
directions  to  give  an  equal  circulation,  to  be  regulated  in  cold  weather 

195 


196  A   BAEN   FOR   A   LE.VEL   SITUATION. 

as  circumstances  may  require.  A  slide  should  be  introduced  just 
below  the  glass,  to  shut  off  the  cold  air  at  pleasure.  Currents  of  air 
may  be  introduced  into  cellars  through  an  underground  passage, 
twenty  feet  or  more,  and  with  good  effect.  A  barn  cellar  without 
proper  ventilation  is  unsafe  for  the  housing  of  any  farming  imple- 
ments. If  properly  built  it  is  the  best  place  for  them,  as  it  affords  an 
even  temperature,  neither  too  dry.  nor  too  damp,  especially  if  the 
cellar  has  a  dry  bottom,  which  may  always  be  effected  by  art. 

Manure  cellars  should  be  separate  from  the  cellars  under  the  hay. 
This  plan  requires  a  mortared  wall  between  the  two,  built  under  one 
side  of  the  drive-way  which  takes  the  bearing  of  one  half  of  the 
centre  of  the  building;  the  other  half  should  be  placed  on  truss 
bearings,  one  in  every  twenty  four  feet.  This  division  wall  gives 
twelve  feet  to  the  manure  cellar,  and  twenty  six  feet  in  width  to  the 
store  cellar,  if  the  barn  be  forty  feet  wide.  The  manure  cellar  being 
but  twelve  feet  wide,  under  the  main  building,  it  will  be  for  the  inter- 
est of  the  farmer  to  build  a  manure  shed  against  its  whole  length, 
eight  feet  wide,  seven  feet  high  at  the  eaves,  the  highest  part  of  the 
roof  four  feet  above  the  side  of  the  main  building,  with  a  ventilating 
tube  once  in  twenty  feet,  on  the  outside  of  the  main  building.  A 
space  of  twelve  feet,  with  two  doors  hung  on  strap  hinges,  to  every 
forty  feet,  will  be  sufficient  for  getting  out  the  manure.  The  loam 
and  other  composting  materials  may  be  thrown  in  from  the  drive-way 
through  scuttles  in  the  cribs. 

One  side  of  the  drive-way  in  this  plan  is  used  for  a  stable  for 
cows.  There  should  be  a  tight  single  floor  over  the  stable,  made  of 
narrow  boards,  jointed  and  matched.  In  this  case  there  will  be  no 
worms  to  sift  down  the  chaff. 

The  stalls  are  represented  here  as  double,  six  feet  four  inches  to 
each,  with  a  round  five  inch  grooved  stud  between  every  other  cow, 
and  a  board  partition  five  feet  high.  The  crib  should  be  two  feet 
five  inches  wide.  It  should  be  boarded  down  in  front  of  the  cows 
to  within  four  feet  of  the  floor ;  and  there  should  be  a  two  by  five 
inch  rail  the  whole  length,  two  feet  from*  the  floor,  and  bolted  to  the 
studs  every  six  feet. 

The  crib-piece  should  be  three  by  twelve  inches  running  the  whole 
length.  Tie  studs  should  be  placed  into  the  crib  three  inches,  and 
two  inches  from  the  partition.     This  will  prevent  the  cows  from  step- 


A    BARN   FOR   A    LEVEL   SITUATION.  197 

ping  back  too  far,  and  wetting  the  walk.  Trenches  behind  the  cows 
ought  to  be  five  inches  deep,  and  twenty  two  inches  wide,  made 
watertight.  The  floor  and  walk  should  also  be  water  tight,  for  the 
health  of  the  animals,  if  for  no  other  reason,  and  to  keep  down  the 
ammonia  which  is  generated  in  the  cellar. 

Experience  has  fully  satisfied  us  that  the  best  way  of  composting 
manures,  is  to  use  cut  straw  or  any  other  coarse  litter  in  the  trench, 
and  dry  loam  or  muck,  and  mix  thoroughly  every  day.  The  time 
thus  spent  may  seem  to  be  considerable,  but  it  is  profitably  spent. 

Ventilators,  sixteen  by  twelve  inches,  should  be  constructed  once 
in  every  twenty  feet,  behind  the  cows,  placed  inside,  extending  nearly 
as  high  as  the  jut,  with  slats  on  the  outside  at  the  top. 

Thus  it  will  be  seen,  that  by  the  addition  of  a  shed,  at  a  small 
expense,  we  obtain  a  large  and  convenient  store  cellar  separate  from 
the  manure  eellar.  The  bad  effects  upon  the  hay  of  the  exhalations 
from  the  manure  are  avoided,  and  the  cows  have  sweeter  hay  and  a 
more  wholesome  atmosphere. 

A  root  cellar,  which  is  indispensable,  may  be  constructed  under  tho 
barn  by  a  double  board  partition,  having  a  space  of  six  inches  filled 
with  mill  shavings  or  saw-dust. 


XXI. 

FENCES  AND   HEDGES. 

It  is  difficult  to  divest  the  public  mind  of  the  notion  that  fences 
and  hedges  are  not  designed  for  ornaments,  and  that  they  are  at 
best  but  necessary  evils.  They  are  intended  only  for  two  legiti- 
mate purposes ;  one  of  these  is  to  protect  the  grounds  from  the 
trespass  of  men  and  the  encroachment  of  animals,  and  the  second 
is  to  confine  animals  and  protect  them.  But  as  fences  are  often 
made  in  ornamental  style,  many  have  been  led  to  suppose  that  if 
fences  were  entirely  useless  for  any  practical  or  economical  purpose, 
they  might  still  be  highly  prized  as  ornaments !  Hence  we  see 
them  put  up,  at  considerable  expense,  in  hundreds  of  situations 
in  which  they  are  not  required.  In  like  manner,  columns  that 
were  originally  designed  to  support  a  part  of  the  building  to  which 
they  were  appended,  have  been  used  by  modern  imitators  to  deco- 
rate a  house,  without  being  necessary  to  support  any  part  of  it. 
With  equal  wisdom  and  propriety  people  who  have  perfect  sight 
would  wear  spectacles  for  ornaments,  until  the  custom  became  so 
general  that  mankind  forgot  the  purpose  for  which  they  were  origi- 
nally used. 

It  is  on  account  of  these  mistaken  ideas  of  the  importance  of 
fences  that  we  see  so  many  in  places  where  they  are  not  required ; 
as,  for  example,  in  the  subdivision  of  the  grounds  around  dwelling- 
houses,  and  around  the  family  burial  lots  in  a  rural  cemetery. 

It  is  not  our  present  intention  to  treat  of  the  best  method  of 
constructing  fences.  Every  man,  in  this  matter,  must  consult  his 
own  taste  and  resources.  If  stones  are  lying  in  abundance  over  all 
his  grounds,  he  cannot  dispose  of  them  in  a  better  manner  than  by 
piling  them  up  into  stone  walls.  If  stones  be  wanting,  and  small 
timber  abundant,  a  rail-fence  would  be  the  most  economical.  If  he 
lives  in  town  and  nearer  a  lumber  yard  than  a  forest,  boards  and 
palings  must  be  the  best  material.  In  a  city,  iron  fences  are  the 
most  economical ;   but  they  greatly  disfigure  a  place  in  the  country. 

198 


FENCES    AND    HEDGES.  190 

We  should  except  the  wire  fences,  which  would  be  proper  only  in 
the  country ;  wire  is  undoubtedly  an  excellent  material  for  a  mov- 
able fence,  intended  for  one  place  for  a  short  time  only,  and  after- 
wards to  be  removed  to  another. 

"  Wire  fences  are  commonly  formed  of  light  iron  posts  or  stakes, 
through  holes  in  which  are  stretched  stout  wires  or  slender  iron 
rods ;  or  they  are  formed  of  light  iron  hurdles,  —  that  is,  separate 
iron  frames,  which  are  placed  end  to  end,  and  can  be  removed  at 
pleasure.  In  forming  wire  fences  of  stakes  and  iron  wires,  there 
is  no  difficulty  where  the  line  of  direction  is  perfectly  straight,  or 
consists  of  a  number  of  straight  lines  joined  together;  but  when 
the  direction  is  curvilinear,  some  attention  is  requisite  to  fix  the 
posts  in  such  a  manner  as  to  permit  the  wires  which  pass  through 
holes  in  them  to  be  drawn  quite  tight.  To  admit  of  this  being 
done,  each  post  must  be  fixed  into  a  piece  of  wood,  or  stone,  and 
supported  by  a  brace  on  the  concave  side  of  the  curve ;  and  both 
the  block  and  the  brace  must  be  buried  so  far  under  the  soil  as 
not  to  be  seen." — Loudon. 

A  rustic  fence,  consisting  of  posts  made  of  small  trees  not  divested 
of  their  bark,  and  rails  of  the  same  description,  is  sometimes  built 
around  the  enclosures  of  a  highly  ornamented  dwelling-house.  The 
object  of  this  kind  of  fence  is  to  give  a  sort  of  rural  or  rustic 
appearance  to  the  dwelling ;  but  the  place  is  not  half  so  rustic  in 
its  expression  as  the  absence  of  any  fence  would  make  it,  and 
never  can  be  made  to  harmonise  with  a  house  that  has  any  pre- 
tensions to  elegance.  Such  fences  should  be  confined  to  the  enclo- 
sures of  simple  and  rude  cottages,  or  to  the  borders  of  woods  and 
pastures. 

There  is  one  kind  of  fence  of  which  we  have  not  yet  spoken, — 
that  is  the  hedge.  Some  persons  imagine  that  they  should  be  in 
paradise  at  once,  if  their  grounds  were  but  surrounded  with  a  full 
grown  hedge,  though  every  other  condition  of  a  paradise  were 
wanting.  It  is  very  necessary  to  consider,  before  we  plant  a  hedge, 
whether  the  boundary  which  it  marks  is  ever  likely  to  be  disturbed. 
If  so,  it  is  folly  to  plant  a  hedge  there,  to  be  removed,  and  probably 
destroyed,  before  it  has  grown,  perhaps,  to  half  its  natural  height. 
It  is  also  idle  to  plant  a  hedge  merely  for  ornament,  because  if  it 
be  in  a  town  it  must  always  be  dusty  and  dirty,  and  not  so  use- 


200  FENCES    AND    HEDGES. 

ful  nor  so  ornamental  as  an  artificial  fence.  If  it  be  in  the  coun- 
try, it  is  not  so  beautiful  as  any  miscellaneous  collection  of  shrub- 
bery, which  will  also  attain  a  good  height  and  bear  blossoms  and 
fruit  before  the  sheared  and  clipped  hedge  has  acquired  the  height 
of  two  feet.  If  a  hedge  is  wanted  only  as  a  mass  of  shrubbery 
for  a  border  to  grounds,  it  is  better  to  build  a  simple,  rude  fence 
of  rails,  and  plant  shrubs  of  various  sorts  on  each  side  of  it.  A 
hedge  is  seldom  a  beautiful  object.  The  clipping  and  shearing 
necessarily  render  it  a  deformity,  even  when  they  are  done  in  the 
best  manner.  A  buckthorn  hedge  is  as  barren  and  unprofitable  as 
a  stone  wall.  Though  it  produces  both  fruit  and  flowers,  they  are 
of  no  more  value,  except,  perhaps,  medicinally,  and  have  no  more 
,  beauty  than  the  lichens  that^row  upon  the  stone  wall,  while  the 
latter  is  most  generally  covered  with  wild  vines  and  shrubbery  which 
produce  an  abundance  of  good  fruit.  It  is  a  great  folly  to  devote 
a  strip  of  land,  four  feet  in  width,  for  the  cultivation  of  this  ugly 
shrub,  which  loses  its  foliage  very  early  in  the  autumn,  and  is  never 
tinted  like  other  American  shrubbery.  A  hedge  ought  always  to 
be  made  of  a  shrub  which  has  some  beauty  of  flowers  or  foliage ; 
such  as  the  evergreen  privet,  the  arbor  vita?,  the  hawthorn,  the  holly, 
the  mountain  laurel,  and  hundreds  of  other  plants  which  are  supe- 
rior in  every  respect  to  the  buckthorn. 

Hedges  are  not  desirable,  except  as  boundaries  to  an  estate  which 
is  not  likely  to  be  changed  for  a  century.  Wherever  the  bounds  of 
an  estate,  or  a  field,  are  likely  to  be  removed,  artificial  fences  are, 
on  every  account,  to  be  preferred.  Hedges  are  probably  the  most 
expensive  fences  which  are  generally  built.  The  plants  and  their 
first  setting  out  are  less  expensive  than  a  substantial  fence ;  but  a 
tolerably  good  fence  must  be  built  at  the  same  time,  to  serve  one's 
purpose  until  the  hedge  be  grown.  It  requires  clipping  twice  in  the 
season,  and  this  must  be  done  by  an  experienced  man,  whose  services 
are  expensive.  The  ground  in  which  it  is  planted  must  be  trenched 
deeply  and  filled  with  good  soil  and  compost,  at  the  expense,  proba- 
bly, of  the  adjoining  tillage ;  otherwise  it  will  be  lean  and  imperfect 
in  its  growth.  After  it  has  attained  its  full  size  it  must  still  be 
clipped  annually,  or  it  will  acquire  an  unsightly  and  straggling 
growth. 

To  conclude,  if  any  one  expects  that  the  hedge  is  to  become  any- 


FENCES   AND    HEDGES.  201 

thing  more  than  a  fence  after  all,  he  is  mistaken.  If  he  expects  to 
see  in  the  hedge  a  mass  of  beautiful  shrubbery,  he  is  mistaken.  It 
is  in  its  best  condition  but  a  mass  of  crooked  sticks,  with  foliage 
covering  its  outside  upper  surface.  A  mile  of  hedge-row  would  not 
contain  so  much  foliage  as  a  half  mile  of  natural  shrubbery,  occupy- 
ing the  same  amount  of  space,  while  the  latter  is  more  beautiful  and 
productive  both  of  fruit  and  flowers. 

26 


DESIGN,  No.  XXI. 


PLAN. 


— 

• 

W,  Walk  behind  the  Animals.    T,  Manure  Trench.    S  8,  Stalls.    F,  Feed  Passage.    B,  B^  for  Hay.    B.  Root 

Cellar.    D,  Small  Door  near  Outside  Boor.    H,  Horse  Stalls.    C,  Carnage  Room. 

P,  Passage  in  Front  of  Uorse  Stalls. 


DESIGN,   No.  XXI, 


WEST     END. 


NORTH     SIDE. 


DESIGN   NO.   XXI. 


ANOTHER     SIDE-HILL     BARN. 


There  are  many  important  improvements  in  this  design.  The  first 
is  the  elevation  of  the  drive-way  eight  feet  above  the  stable  floor, 
allowing  a  feed  passage  directly  under  the  drive-way  in  front  of  the 
cow  stalls.  It  also  allows  part  of  the  hay  to  be  pitched  downwards 
instead  of  upwards,  thereby  saving  considerable  labor,  during  the 
part  of  the  season  when  labor  is  the  most  valuable.  The  drive-way 
being  on  one  side,  leaves  a  solid  hay-mow  twenty-eight  feet  wide  and 
twenty-four  feet  high  by  fifty-six  in  length,  of  sufficient  capacity  to 
hold  one  hundred  tons  of  hay,  if  well  stored.  Another  important 
advantage  consists  in  the  separation  of  the  animals  from  the  main 
barn  or  hay-loft.  This  allows  about  six  hundred  cubic  feet  of  space 
to  each  animal  when  the  stalls  are  full.  The  whole  is  to  be  well 
lighted  and  well  ventilated.  The  stable  floor  should  be  nine  inches 
lower  than  the  feed-passage,  and  each  animal  should  have  three  feet 
and  four  inches  of  space. 

The  manure  cellar  is  separated  from  the  main  cellar  by  a  tight 
board  partition,  with  several  doors  wide  enough  to  admit  a  wheel- 
barrow. The  west  part  of  the  cellar  is  designed  for  roots,  and  the 
eastern  or  northern  part  for  dry  muck,  or  loam,  which  should  be 
wheeled  in  daily.  The  root  cellar  being  protected  on  all  sides, 
will  be  secure  against  frost;  a  current  of  air  should  be  admitted 
on  two  opposite  sides,  and  there  should  be  a  ventilating  pipe,  ex- 
tending to  the  cupola.  The  stone  cellar  having  two  large  doors 
will  be,  through  them,  sufficiently  ventilated. 

The  outlines  of  the  building  are  fifty  by  seventy-two  feet.  The 
main  building  is  forty  by  sixty.  The  horse-barn  is  twenty  by  thirty, 
fourteen  feet  high  above  the  cellar.  Ventilators  from  the  manure 
cellar,  also  from  the  stable,  connect,  as  represented  on  the  south 
elevation,  from  the  roof  of  the  lean-to.  B  bay  for  hay,  fifty-six  by 
twenty-eight:    F  feed-passage  in  front  of  the  animals,  twelve, feet 


207 


208  ANOTHER   SIDE-HILL   BABN. 

wide  under  the  drive-way,  and  six  on  the  end :  S  stalls  for  cows,  on 
platform  four  feet  five  inches  wide :  T  a  trench  behind  the  cows, 
five  inches  deep  and  twenty-two  inches  wide  :  W  a  walk  behind  the 
cows  three  feet  and  six  inches  wide :  C  carriage-house  and  harness- 
room  :  H  horse-stalls :  P  passage  in  front  of  horse-stalls :  D  small 
door  in  the  stable,  near  the  outside  entrance,  to  shut  either  way,  at 
pleasure,  as  the  animals  are  passing  in  and  out.  R  root  cellar  as  far 
as  the  dotted  line  on  the  ground  plan. 

We  might  repeat  in  this  place  our  advice  respecting  the  comfort 
of  domestic  animals.  If  the  stable  is  made  tight  with  good  matched 
boards,  and  with  the  allowance  of  six  hundred  cubic  feet  to  each, 
the  animal  heat  will  be  sufficient  to  keep  the  temperature  of  the 
stable  above  33°  in  common  winter  weather,  allowing  it  at  the  same 
time  to  be  well  ventilated.  Animals  when  kept  comfortably  warm 
require  less  food  to  preserve  them  in  good  condition,  than  when  they 
are  exposed  to  the  cold  in  uncomfortable  stalls.  Milking  cows  will 
give  more  milk  and  keep  in  better  flesh ;  young  animals  will  not  be 
retarded  in  their  growth  by  the  winter,  and  will  be  prepared  for  a 
more  rapid  growth  during  the  following  season. 

The  estimated  cost  of  this  design,  finished  in  good  architectural 
style,  clapboarded  and  painted,  is  twenty-two  hundred  dollars.  A 
barn  of  the  same  size,  the  same  accommodations,  boarded  with 
rough,  square-edged  boards,  the  roof  put  on  in  strips  three  inches 
wide  and  covered  with  sawed  shingle-,  small  projections  to  the  roof 
with  plain  fascia,  finished  in  all  parts  substantially  but  economically 
might  be  built  for  seventeen  hundred  dollars. 


XXII. 

THE  GARDEN. 

It  is  surprising  that  our  farmers  who  live  at  a  distance  from  the 
city  should  think  so  lightly  of  a  garden  as  a  means  of  supplying 
their  families  with  fruit  and  vegetables,  which  are  not  mere  luxuries, 
but  the  absolute  necessaries  of  life.  No  man  in  the  country  who 
owns  land,  or  who  can  conveniently  obtain  it  and  cultivate  it,  would 
remain  a  single  year  without  a  garden,  if  he  knew  how  dependent 
we  are  for  the  maintenance  of  health  on  a  good  supply  of  early  sum- 
mer vegetables  and  fruit.  The  season  of  the  year  when  we  most 
painfully  feel  the  want  of  fresh  fruits  and  vegetables,  is  the  period 
including  April,  May,  and  June.  This  is  the  time  when  there  is 
probably  a  need  of  the  largest  quantity  for  the  preservation  of  health ; 
yet  it  is  the  time  when  it  is  the  most  difficult  to  obtain  any  quantity. 
Mankind  cannot  live  in  health  upon  meat  and  bread  alone.  Many 
a  confirmed  dyspeptic  owes  his  lingering  complaint  to  this  confined 
diet. 

Our  farmers,  according  to  our  observation,  are  plentifully  supplied 
with  meat  and  flour.  They  have  a  great  abundance  of  meats :  the 
housekeeper  furnishes  the  table  with  excellent  bread,  cake  of  several 
sorts,  pies,  and  preserved  fruits.  But  the  very  articles  which  it  might 
reasonably  be  supposed  would  find  place  there  are  usually  wanting. 
In  the  spring  and  early  summer  you  may  be  surfeited  with  the  arti- 
cles of  diet  above  named ;  but  they  are  not  wanted  particularly  at 
this  season,  and  will  make  a  dyspeptic  of  any  one  who  is  not  con- 
stantly engaged  in  out-of-door  labor  or  exercise.  The  conclusion  we 
have  drawn  from  these  facts  is,  that  our  farmers  and  their  wives  do 
not  know  how  they  ought  to  live.  They  set  too  high  a  value  upon 
luxuries  and  too  low  a  value  on  some  of  the  most  important  of  the 
necessaries  of  life.  They  overrate  the  importance  of  preserved  fruits, 
of  cake,  pies,  and  even  of  bread  and  meat,  and  think  too  lightly  of 
cabbages,  spinach,  dandelions,  asparagus,  early  peas,  and  all  kinds  of 
early  vegetables   and   fruits.     Our  luxurious   manner  of  living,  and 

27 


210  THE   GARDEN. 

our  concentrated  diet,  may  be  considered  one  important  cause  of  our 
inferior  muscular  development,  compared  with  the  Europeans  who 
are  descended  from  the  same  stock.  Our  people  are  not  surpassed  in 
activity,  but  it  is  well  known  that  they  are  not  so  stout  nor  so  capa- 
ble of  enduring  severe  labor  as  the  Europeans.  This  constitutional 
infirmity,  this  physical  degeneracy,  may  be  attributed  to  the  national 
diet.  The  Americans  live  upon  meat  and  bread,  cake,  custards,  pud- 
dings, and  pies  ;  their  diet  is  luxurious  and  concentrated ;  hence  their 
degeneracy.  The  Europeans  use  comparatively  but  little  meat  and 
bread ;  they  seldom  taste  of  luxuries ;  but  they  make  their  principal 
diet  of  preparations  analogous  to  our  homony,  made  from  wheat,  oats, 
and  barley ;  and  they  consume  large  quantities  of  vegetables  in  soups 
seasoned  with  a  very  little  meat. 

The  people  of  the  Southern  States  live  more  like  the  Europeans 
because  they  can  obtain  salads  all  winter  and  use  a  great  deal  of 
homony. 

In  the  winter  we  might  enjoy  health  with  but  a  small  quantity  of 
fruit,  because  the  cold  weather  creates  a  necessity  for  animal  food, 
bread,  butter  and  cheese.  .  Yet  winter  is  the  time  when  we  have  the 
best  supply  of  fruits  and  vegetables.  "When  spring  opens,  a  greater 
craving  and  necessity  exist  for  these  articles ,  but  at  this  time  they 
cannot  be  obtained  without  difficulty :  because  our  country  people 
have  not  learned  how  much  the  health  depends  on  these  articles  at 
this  season  of  the  year.  Children  often  supply  this  craving  by  pick- 
ing cranberries  in  the  meadows,  and  eating  them  on  the  spot.  Dried 
apples  imperfectly  supply  this  want ;  conserves  still  more  imperfectly. 
Cranberries  are  the  most  wholesome  fruit  which  can  be  obtained  in 
the  spring,  but  no  effort  is  generally  made  to  keep  them  for  this  sea- 
son. They  are  all  consumed  in  the  autumn  and  winter,  when  there 
is  an  abundance  of  other  kinds  of  fruit. 

The  evils  above  enumerated  might  be  remedied  by  establishing  the 
general  custom  of  keeping  good  vegetable  gardens,  and  by  economis- 
ing those  kinds  of  fruits  which  are  the  most  valuable  in  the  spring. 
Such  are  cranberries.  Apples  are  generally  tasteless  and  almost 
worthless  in  the  spring  excepting  those  sour  varieties  which  are  ne- 
glected, despised,  and  thrown  away.  A  barrel  of  the  sourest  apples 
\vhich  are  cast  upon  the  cider  heap,  the  product  of  trees  which  our 
farmers  are  annually  cutting  down  for  fuel,  would  be  worth  in  April 


TIIE   GARDEN.  211 

more  than  three  barrels  of  Baldwins  which  had  lost  all  their  virtues. 
It  would  be  wise  to  cultivate  some  of  these  despised  varieties  of 
"  natural  fruit,"  which  in  spring  are  equal  to  cranberries.  But  we 
will  now  turn  our  attention  to  the  means  by  which  we  might  obtain 
a  constant  supply  of  fresh  vegetables,  and  we  will  begin  with 

January.  —  Nothing  can  yet  be  done  towards  a  garden ;  but  there 
is  generally  during  this  month  no  lack  of  a  supply  of  winter  apples 
and  pears,  and  cranberries  and  perhaps  of  grapes  :  for  vegetables  we 
have  cabbages,  potatoes,  and  all  the  common  sorts. 

February.  —  Fruits  and  vegetables  continue  as  in  January. 

March.  —  Apples  begin  to  be  tasteless  and  scarce,  and  cranberries 
which  might  be  kept  more  easily  than  apples  have  been  almost 
entirely  consumed  and  wasted  by  our  improvidence.  They  have 
been  sold  in  foreign  markets  to  people  who  are  more  intelligent 
.than  ourselves.  Among  conserves,  preserved  barberries  have  more 
of  the  quality  of  fresh  fruits  than  any  other  sort  that  can  be  named. 

April. —  In  this  month  fresh  vegetables  might  be  in  readiness, 
if  one  was  provided  with  a  good  hot-house,  which  costs  neither 
much  labor  nor  expense,  but  requires  a  sort  of  wise  management 
which  is  too  often  above  the  comprehension  of  our  farmers  and 
other  working  men.  The  best  vegetable  gardens  are  under  the 
management  of  foreigners.  The  time  which  would  be  devoted  to 
a  hot-bed  is  during  a  season  of  the  year  when  our  farmers  are  forced 
to  remain  almost  in  idleness ;  before  they  can  begin  their  plowing 
and  other  farming-work.  But  our  farmers  despise  all  such  "  quid- 
dling  work,"  as  they  call  it.  If  they  possessed  more  intelligence  they 
would  despise  those  who  despise  it,  because  they  would  see  thai  it 
requires  more  skill  than  ordinary  farming  operations.  The  hot-house 
would  furnish  lettuce,  spinach,  and  some  other  salads,  besides  for- 
warding tomato  plants,  and  cabbage  plants,  &c,  for  setting  oui  early 
in  summer.     Parsneps  are  in  their  best  condition  during  this  month. 

May.  —  No  provident  farmer  or  gardener  would  be  without  a 
good  supply  of  fresh  vegetables  during  this  month.  If  he  have  a 
productive  asparagus  bed,  this  alone  would  in  a  considerable  measure 
supply  the  want ;  and  we  should  as  soon  think  of  cultivating  a 
farm  without  keeping  a  pig  or  a  cow,  as  without  an  asparagus  bed. 
It  supplies  the  family  with  fresh  vegetables  when  there  is  a  Lament- 
able want  of  these  articles.     Half  the  languor  to  which  people  are 


212  THE   GARDEN. 

subject  in  May  is  owing  to  the  want  of  fresh  vegetables  and  fruits. 
In  May  we  ought  to  have  an  abundance  of  all  the  fruits  and  veget- 
ables named  below.  Cranberries,  kept  fresh  in  casks  of  water; 
apples  of  despised  sorts,  which  are  too  sour  to  be  used  in  the 
autumn,  and  which  do  not  lose  their  flavor  like  other  apples  during 
the  winter;  rhubarb,  parsneps,  lettuce,  spinach,  asparagus,  and  in 
the  latter  part  of  the  month  cabbage  sprouts*  and  new  onions 
(rare-ripes). 

June.  —  In  this  month  the  garden  should  abound  in  rhubarb,  green 
gooseberries,  strawberries,  and  currants;  in  asparagus,  and  all  the 
vegetables  named  for  the  last  month,  with  the  addition  of  beets. 
Notwithstanding  the  ease  with  which  all  these  things  might  be  sup- 
plied, if  our  people  knew  the  full  value  of  a  garden,  it  is  the  most 
difficult  thing  in  the  world  to  obtain  them.  We  live  as  if  luxuries 
were  the  only  necessaries  of  life.  The  simple  products  of  the  gar- 
den are  neglected,  and  men  spend  their  money  on  patent  nostrums, 
to  cure  themselves  of  those  complaints  which  arise  from  the  want 
of  asparagus,  spinach,  and  the  other  produce  of  the  garden. 

jULy.  —  When  this  month  has  arrived  the  want  of  early  fruits 
and  vegetables  is  more  generally  supplied,  because  a  hot-bed  is  not 
required  to  bring  them  into  a  state  of  sufficient  forwardness.  The 
wild  fruits  are  now  becoming  abundant  and  compensate  in  some 
measure  for  the  want  of  garden  fruits.  Thus  nature  provides  against 
the  improvidence  of  men.  The  garden  in  this  month  should  be 
well  supplied  with  strawberries,  cherries,  currants,  and  gooseberries. 
It  should  also  abound  in  green  peas,  string-beans,  turnips,  beets,  and 
onions,  and  in  the  last  of  the  month  in  new  potatoes,  shelled  beans, 
and  early  York  cabbages. 

August.  —  All  the  vegetables  named  above,  with  the  addition  of 
green  corn,  summer  squashes,  beans  in  all  shapes  and  varieties,  and 
all  esculent  roots.  The  summer  fruits  begin  to  be  scarce,  but  early 
apples  and  pears,  tomatos,  and  melons,  ought  to  be  abundant. 
During  the  remainder  of  the  year  there  is  no  scarcity  of  fruits  and 
vegetables,  and  we  shall  not  therefore  proceed  with  our  calendar. 
In  conclusion,  we  would  repeat  that  no  man  who  owns  land  is  wise 
who  neglects  to  provide  a  spot  to  be  devoted  to  the  raising  of  early 
fruits  and  vegetables.  The  garden  is  an  essential  appendage  to 
rv(>ry  farm,  and  to  the  least  as  well  as  the  greatest  estate. 


DESIGN,     No.    XXII 

[Sec    Frontispiece.] 
PLAN 


F 


A,  Parlor.     B,  Living  Room.    C,  Kitchen.    D,  Wash  Room.     E,  Wood  Room. 
F,  Store  Room.     G,  China  Closet.     II,  Front  Entry. 


[See    Design,    No.  XIV.] 
PLAN. 


DESIGN   NO.   XXII. 

[see  frontispiece.] 

The  frontispiece  is  a  representation  of  the  Author's  dwelling- 
house  and  out-buildings,  in  Grafton,  Mass.,  the  ground  plan  of 
which  will  be  found  on  the  preceding  page.  He  believes,  from 
his  own  experience,  that  the  house  contains  as  many  conveniences 
and  as  ample  accommodations  as  can  be  obtained  for  the  money 
which  it  cost  him,  namely,  seventeen  hundred  dollars. 

The  dimensions  of  the  rooms  on  the  first  story  are  as  follows: 
parlor  14  by  24  feet,  sitting-room  14  by  14,  kitchen  19  by  12,  wash 
room  17  by  9,  pantry  7  by  7,  store-room  8  by  7,  and  wood-room  17 
by  10.  The  front  entry  is  six  feet  wide.  The  parlor  is  lighted  by 
four  windows,  the  one  in  the  rear  being  a  French  window.  By 
opening  the  door  between  the  front  entry  and  the  window  opposite 
a  fine  current  of  air  is  obtained.  During  the  summer  the  cook-stove 
is  removed  from  the  kitchen  to  the  wash-room.  A  door  opens  from 
the  kitchen  into  the  pantry,  and  another  from  the  pantry  into  the 
store-room.  The  passage  to  the  wood-room  is  through  the  wash- 
room, from  which  there  is  a  door  opening  into  a  large  wood-shed, 
14  by  28.  There  is  also  a  door  between  the  wood-room  and  the 
barn.     The  stairs,  front  and  back,  are  as  marked  on  the  plan. 

There  is  a  square  chamber  directly  over  the  sitting-room.     Over 
the   parlor  are  two  sleeping  chambers,  the  rear  one  lighted  by  a 
Lutheran  window.      There  are  three  other  chambers,  five  clothes 
closets,  and  a  bathing-room,  also,  on  the  second  floor. 

All  the  Designs  and  Plans  in  this  volume,  with  the  exception 
of  the  ground  plot  which  may  be  found  on  the  same  page  with 
the  ground  plan  of  the  author's  residence,  are  on  a  scale  of  six- 
teen feet  to  one  inch ;   the  ground  plot  referred  to  is  on  a  scale  of 

forty  feet  to  one  inch. 

-.Mo 


BRACKETS,  &c. 

The  following  Plate  presents  a  profile  of  three  large  brackets,  on  a 
scale  of  one  inch  to  the  foot,  designed  for  projections  over  front 
doors,  windows,  &c.  Also  a  profile  of  a  window  cap  and  sill,  on 
a  scale  of  four  inches  to  the  foot. 


MOULDINGS. 


On  the  two  Plates  next  following  will  be  found  the  profile  of  vari- 
ous kinds  and  forms  of  Mouldings,  of  half  the  size  ordinarily  used. 
They  can  be  purchased  at  the  manufactories  where  they  are  wrought 
by  machinery  for  very  much  less  than  it  will  cost  to  manufacture 
them  by  hand. 

Wrought  Mouldings  of  the  forms  represented  in  the  Plates  can 
be  procured,  in  Boston,  of  William  Heath,  155  Merrimac  street, 
and  the  Boston  Planing  and  Moulding  Company. 


216 


DESIGN,     No.   XXIV. 


DESIGN,   No.  XXIII. 


2 


J 


// 


^ 


e 


/s 


DESIGN.No.    XXIII 


//" 


SB 


\ 


27 


2/ 


£J? 


APPENDIX. 


I.       A    FEW    HINTS    ON    LAYING    SHINGLES,    AC. 

Few  builders  pay  sufficient  regard  to  the  mode  of  laying  shingles 
on  a  roof,  the  many  supposing  that  they  will  answer  every  desirable 
purpose  if  laid  within  an  inch  or  "two  of  a  straight  line.  We  have 
seen  shingles  laid  by  those  who  boast  of  their  skill  and  experience, 
on  a  building  worth  a  thousand  dollars,  with  a  variation  in  their 
courses  of  from  four  to  six  inches,  in  different  parts  of  the  roof. 
This  is  very  bad  economy.  The  length  of  the  shingle  determines 
how  much  to  lay  to  the  weather ;  about  one-third  of  its  length  is 
the  common  practice. 

Several  other  points  should  be  considered  in  order  to  make  good 
work.  If  the  shingles  are  green,  they  should  be  well  fitted  together 
half  their  length,  and  nailed  nine  inches  from  the  lower  end.  The 
nail  should  not  be  driven  into  the  crack  or  joint  of  the  course  under- 
neath ;  in  breaking  joints  the  laps  should  not  be  less  than  one  and  a 
half  inches.  If  a  shingle  is  winding,  two  nails  should  be  driven ; 
but  if  it  lies  flat,  one  nail  is  better  than  two. 

Sawed  shingles  are  not  so  durable  as  shaved,  being  more  liable  to 
retain  moisture  and  decay.  This  defect  is  attributable,  in  part,  to 
nailing  too  low  down,  and  using  twice  as  many  nails  as  are  neces- 
sary. Sawed  shingles  may  be  used  advantageously  on  any  kind  of 
a  roof,  even  on  a  very  flat  one,  by  laying  them  on  strips  three  inches* 
wide,  and  just  as  many  strips  as  there  are  courses,  with  one  good 
nail  in  each  shingle.  A  roof  constructed  in  this  way  will  never  rot, 
if  made  of  good  materials;  it  can  only  wear  out  with  age.  Shaky 
shingles  are  good  for  no  building  purposes,  though  they  may  some- 
times be  economically  applied  to  the  walls  of  a  cheap  building. 

With  regard  to  material,  it  may  be  remarked  that  as  the  pine 
wood  of  which  rift  shingles  are  made  is  becoming  scarce,  we  are 
obliged  to  use  several  other  kinds  of  wood  in  the  place  of  it.       The 

221 


222  APPENDIX. 

white,  or  silver,  cedar  is  a  good  material ;  the  red  cedar  is  sometimes 
used ;  but  it  will  not  last  more  than  two-thirds  as  long  as  the  white. 
Sawed  shingles  made  of  old  pine  lumber,  cut  so  as  to  be  straight 
grained,  will  last  longer  than  any  other  kind  we  can  obtain  in  New 
England,  except  those  made  of  Southern  cedar.  Many  of  the  pine 
sawed  shingles  we  find  in  the  market  are  cut  slash-wise  of  the  grain 
and  are  a  poor  article.  They  split  very  easily  after  they  are  laid,  and 
are  liable  to  speedy  decay.  They  also  shrink  and  swell  more  readily 
than  others.  All  pine  shingles  should  have  the  grain  run  through 
the  thickness,  instead  of  on  the  surface. 

Spruce  and  hemlock  are  introduced  into  our  market,  and  are 
recommended  as  substitutes  for  the  commonly  approved  sorts.  But 
shingles  made  of  these  materials  are  not  durable ;  a  portion  of  them 
will  soon  decay;  and  they  ought  not  to  be  used  except  for  old 
buildings  which  will  not,  probably,  outlast  them. 

Our  own  experience,  continued  through  a  long  course  of  years, 
has  compelled  us  to  adopt  many  changes  from  the  usual  practice 
in  laying  shingles.  With  regard  to  nails  in  particular,  we  would 
say  that  we  have  always  found  the  old  wrought  nails  to  be  sound 
and  good,  after  the  shingles  have  nearly  perished  with  age.  They 
never  rust  and  corrode  sufficiently  to  cause  the  shingles  to  slide  off 
in  sheets,  as  the  common  nails  do.  The  only  nail  worthy  of  recom- 
mendation for  good  work  is  the  Swedish  nail,  made  of  tough  iron. 
The  common  nails  are  made  of  coarse  iron ;  they  are  very  brittle 
and  soon  rust  off,  especially  if  used  in  the  ordinary  mode,  namely, 
putting  two  nails  into  each  shingle  and  within  five  or  six  inches  of 
the  lower  ends. 

II.        ON     THE     APPLICATION     OF     PAINT     TO     BUILDINGS. 

It  is  thought  by  many  that  the  priming,  or  first  coat,  on  the  clean 
wood,  should  be  made  thick  or  heavy  with  white  lead  or  zinc.  A 
later  and  wiser  experience  has  proved  that  the  first  coat  should 
consist  chiefly  of  oil,  laying  on  with  the  brush  as  much  as  can  be 
applied  without  causing  it  to  run.  All  succeeding  coats  should  be 
light,  of  pure  lead,  thoroughly  rubbed  down  to  an  even,  smooth 
surface  with  the  brush.  Three  light  coats  of  paint  judiciously  laid 
on  will  stand  longer  before  the  surface  becomes  chalky,  than  three 


APPENDIX.  223 

heavy  coats  improperly  applied;  at  the  same  time  a  great  saving 
is  made  in  the  quantity  of  paint  used.  Zinc  should  never  be  used 
for  the  priming  coat,  as  it  is  liable  to  scale  off  from  the  wood. 
It  may  be  used  to  advantage  for  inside  work. 

It  is  better  to  oil  and  varnish  the  plain  woodwork  in  kitchens  and 
pantries.  This  application  gives  it  a  clean  look ;  it  does  not  become 
defaced  so  soon  as  paint,  nor  does  it  so  plainly  show  any  deface- 
ment. Above  all,  when  it  has  become  soiled,  it  admits  of  being 
more  easily  and  thoroughly  cleaned. 

After  a  good  body  of  paint  has  been  judiciously  applied  to  a 
building,  it  is  good  economy,  before  it  begins  to  rub  off,  to  give  it 
a  very  light  coat.  This  will  save  the  old  paint  from  breaking,  or 
becoming  porous.  A  firm  body  of  paint  should  be  kept  perma- 
nently upon  all  buildings  which  are  painted  at  all.  Old  buildings 
may  be  painted  with  very  little  expense,  by  making  the  first  coat 
with  pine  oil  and  mineral  paint ;  (oil  37^  cents  per  gallon,  paint 
2\  cents  per  lb.).  When  it  is  well  dried  you  may  use  white  lead 
to  obtain  a  good  surface. 

in.     farmer's   tool-room. 

The  following  is  a  schedule  of  the  carpenter's  tools  which,  if  not 
absolutely  necessary,  will  always  be  found  to  be  convenient  by  every 
farmer  who  possesses  ordinary  mechanical  ingenuity. 

1  short  jointer,  1  jack-plane,  1  smooth  plane,  all  double  ironed; 
1  hammer,  1  mallet,  2  augers — one  1  inch  and  one  \\  inch, — 2  framing 
chisels — one  1  inch  and  one  \\  inch, — 2  screw  drivers,  1  tri-square,  1 
brace  and  £,  f,  \,  f,  f,  f  auger  bits,  4  counter-sinks,  1  reamer,  2 
guages,  6  firmir  chisels,  \,  \,  f ,  f,  1,  \\  inches,  and  handles,  1  large 
splitting  saw,  1  half-size  cutting  saw,  1  key  saw,  1  large  iron  square, 
1  drawing  knife,  1  spoke-shave,  1  oil-stone,  1  hand-hatchet,  1  iron 
vice,  1  set  of  brad-awls  and  handles,  1  chalk-line,  2  nail-sets,  and 
6  gimlets. 

IV.       CATALOGUE     OF     FRUIT     TREES. 

The  author  of  this  work  having  had  a  long  experience  in  the 
cultivation  of  fruit  trees,  ventures  to  add,  in  the  way  of  recommen- 
dation to  those  who  are  about  to  commence,  or  have  already  com- 
menced the  planting  of  an  orchard,  the  following  li 


224 


APPENDIX. 


A    SELECTION    OF   TWENTY-FIYE    TEEES 


APPLES 


PEARS 


Names. 


I  No. 


Early  Harvest, 2 

"Williams   Favorite, I  2 

Early  Bough, 2 

Porter 2 

Pall  Pippin, 2 

Huhbardston  Nonsuch, 2 

Darner's  Winter  Sweet, 2 

Rhode  Island  Greening, 4 

Ladies'  Sweet, 1 

Baldwin, 6 


Season. 
August. 


Sept.  Oct 
Oct.  Dec 
Oct.  Jan 
Dec.  Mar 
Dec.  April 
Dec.  May 
Nov.  May. 


Name. 


Bloodgood, 

Tyson, 

Bartlett,  Q 

Doyenne  Boussock,  Q. 

Buffum, 

Andrews, 

Urb&niste,  Q 

Beurre  Diel,  Q 

Glout  Morceau, 

Lawrence, 

Beurre  d'  Anjon,  Q.. . , 
Vicar  of  Winkfield,  Q. , 


Season. 
August. 
September. 


October. 
Nov.    Dec. 
Dec.    Jaa. 


Nov.    Jan. 


A    SELECTION    OF    ONE    HUNDRED    TREES 


Red  Astrachan, 

Early  Harvest, 

"Williams'  Favorite, 

Early  Bough, 

Primate, 

Porter, 

Fall  Pippin, 

Gravenstein, 

Minister, 

Hubbardston  Nonsuch, 

Danver's  Winter  Sweet,.. . 
Rhode  Island  Greening,. .  . 
Canada,  or  Red  Nonsuch, . 

Baldwin, 

Ladies'  Sweet, 

Roxburv  Russet, 


August. 


Sept.  Oct 
J  Oct.  Dec, 
i  Sept.  Nov, 
|  Oct.     Jan, 

Dec.  Mar. 
Dec.  April. 
iDec.  Mar 
Dec.  Jan. 
|Dec.  May. 
Dec.  June 


Dearbcrn'8  Seedling,  Q. 

Brandywine, 

Tyson, 

Bloodgood, 

Andrews,. 

|  Bartlett,  Q 

Fulton, 

;Seckel, 

Buffum, 

jUrbaniste,  Q 

Flemish  Beauty,  Q 

Swan's  Orange, 

j  Beurre  d'  Anjou,  Q 

Beurre  d'  Aremberg,- . . . 
:  Glout  Morceau,  Q 

Beurre  Diel,  Q • 

i  Vicar  of  Winkfield,  Q   ■ 


August. 


September. 


October. 

:  Sept.    Oct. 

November. 

TJeceniber. 

■  Dec.     Jan. 
ti        tt 

Nov.    Dec. 
Nov.     Jan. 


Note.  —  The  varieties  of  pears  marked  Q  thrive  best  on  quince  stocks. 


